People walk Great Wall to show determination to fight AIDS

Thousands of people have walked along the Great Wall in the suburbs of Beijing, to show their determination to fight AIDS.

The event was organized by the Red Cross Society of China and the Joint United Nations Aids Program. It was part of the series of activities held to mark World Aids Day.

Starting from the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall, the participants walked the for about 4 kilometers in the chilly winter morning. They hoped to attract attention to HIV/AIDS.

Nearly 2,000 volunteers from governments, UN agencies, universities and local businesses joined the walk.

China saw an estimated 50,000 new infections in 2007, compared with 70,000 in 2005. That means there are about 700,000 people living with HIV/AIDS this year. And the slow down in the rate of new infections is a result of China's reinforced efforts to fight the fatal disease.