Original: UNAIDS – Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

March 31, 2025, 12:02 PM, Hong Kong, China

UNAIDS Office in China

Effective April 1, 2025, the UNAIDS Office in China is officially renamed as the "UNAIDS Global Coordination Office in China." This renaming signifies an upgrade in the office's role in global HIV/AIDS prevention and control and reflects a new positioning for its future mission.

For the past 29 years, UNAIDS has closely collaborated with China, significantly reducing the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. As the world’s second-largest economy and the largest developing country, China plays a crucial role in achieving the global commitment to "end the public health threat of AIDS by 2030." Additionally, as the second-largest contributor to the UN’s overall budget, China continues to strengthen its support for global health initiatives.

Aligned with China’s expectations and international role, UN agencies in China should not only support domestic development agendas but also actively "promote China’s participation in global processes" and "serve as a bridge to leverage China’s expertise, experience, and resources to benefit other developing countries and contribute to the advancement of global multilateralism."

UNAIDS looks forward to deepening its collaboration with China, fully leveraging its global coordination role to mobilize greater financial and technical support for South-South cooperation, China-Africa collaboration, and trilateral partnerships. The focus will be on meeting the needs of the most vulnerable populations and communities affected by HIV/AIDS in developing countries. This will further strengthen China’s position as a key global health donor and an emerging leader in the field.

As part of this strategic shift, since 2023, the UNAIDS Office in China has undergone a functional expansion and repositioning, with a particular emphasis on global advocacy, special initiatives, outreach, and coordination. To better reflect this transformation, and after extensive consultations with the UNAIDS Global Headquarters, the UN Country Team, and various partners, our official Chinese name has been updated to "UNAIDS Global Coordination Office in China." This name highlights the office’s core function in global HIV/AIDS response and reinforces its role as a bridge in global health and diplomacy.

Furthermore, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Executive Committee has approved the extension of the "United Nations System-wide Strategy on South-South and Triangular Cooperation" until 2025 and plans to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the strategy. Against this backdrop, we are honored to announce that the Head of the UNAIDS Global Coordination Office in China has been appointed as UNAIDS Secretariat South-South Cooperation Coordinator. In this capacity, they will represent the Executive Director and contribute to the South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation Advisory Group. This appointment will support the development of a new strategic framework for South-South cooperation and further enhance inter-agency coordination mechanisms within the UN, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).

We understand that this name change is not merely a linguistic adjustment but a reflection of an expanded mission and heightened responsibility. Moving forward, we will continue working hand in hand with all stakeholders, adopting a broader vision and more efficient collaboration to advance both China’s and the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Together, we strive to create a future of health equity for all.