China will strive to limit the number of AIDS infections to less than 1.5 million by 2010, Vice-Premier Wu Yi told a visiting UN official Wednesday in Beijing.

"The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS," Wu said in a meeting with Nafis Sadik, special adviser to the UN secretary-general and special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.

"We have set up a work mechanism against HIV/AIDS with the government playing a leading role and active participation from all walks of society."

Wu said the Chinese Government welcomes the UN and other international organizations giving more support to China's fight against AIDS.

"China will strengthen exchanges and co-operation with international organizations to curb the spread of AIDS with a responsible, open and transparent attitude," Wu said.

Sadik praised the remarkable achievements China had made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control and said the UN would continue to support China in fighting AIDS as before.

At an AIDS prevention workshop held by the Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday, a senior police officer said the police would get tough on crimes committed by HIV/AIDS carriers.

"We should never allow criminals to take advantage of AIDS and escape or receive less severe punishment just because they are infected," Beiijing News quoted the officer as saying.

"Those who know they are infected with AIDS and deliberately infect others will be severely punished according to the law," he said.