The scientists will now continue analysing the results before further clinical trials.

The ministry said the second trial phase would need more than 300 volunteers, including those from high-risk groups.

In the third phase, an even larger number of participants will be needed.

China started research of its own into an AIDS vaccine in 2003 and has more than 50 researchers involved in the work.

The country has about 650,000 HIV-affected people, including 75,000 AIDS patients, according to official estimates.

In the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-05), more than 100 million yuan (US$12.5 million) was invested into AIDS-related research, according to Wang Hongguang, director of the China National Centre for Biotechnology Development.

Two of the country's 16 key scientific research projects in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10) focus on AIDS treatment and prevention.

Vice-Minister of Science and Technology, Liu Yanhua, said China has made several breakthroughs in AIDS-related studies.

Great progress has also been made in research into preventing mothers transmitting the HIV virus to their unborn children.

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