BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Chinese migrant workers, who are among the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, are the target of a new AIDS prevention program co-sponsored by the Chinese and American governments

The education program will be mainly conducted in work places that employ large numbers of migrant workers, said Zheng Dongliang, the program's director here on Friday.

Migrant workers are mainly young men who are away from their spouses for most of the year, leading some to seek the services of prostitutes, which in turn makes them vulnerable to HIV infection.

Statistics from Beijing's Health Bureau show that migrant workers accounted for about eighty percent of Beijing's new HIV carriers last year.

At the program's launch, Zheng said employers and migrant workers will be taught how AIDS is transmitted and how it can be prevented.

"We also want to protect the rights of HIV carriers to work and reduce the stigma they face in the workplace," he said.

The stigma is so great in China that many migrant workers hesitate to take free HIV tests that are available at their work place, fearing they may be fired if they test positive.

U.S. embassy counselor, Deborah Selogohn, says the education program will also help raise the awareness of the migrant worker's spouses to prevent them from being infected.

China has 200 million migrant workers, of which more than 120 million work in cities. The remainder work in towns.