Two U.S. companies are finalists for 2005 State Department ACE Award.  The pharmaceutical company Merck and Company Inc. and the package delivery company United Parcel Service (UPS), both U.S. businesses with extensive operations in China, are two of the 10 finalists for the State Department's prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) for 2005.

In its nomination cable for Merck, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said the pharmaceutical company "demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in the health sector through its exemplary partnerships with the Chinese government on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and healthcare training."

Merck engages in the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of a range of products to improve human and animal health.  Its partnership with China began in 1989, with the transfer of its gene-engineering hepatitis B vaccine production technology to the Chinese government for a token fee of $1.

Turning to HIV/AIDS drug development, Merck maintains a long-standing partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) on HIV/AIDS clinical education, policy oriented research and clinical trials.

On May 11, Merck and the MOH announced the largest public-private partnership in China's history with a $30 million cooperative program to support social and economic support for those living with HIV/AIDS, "truly giving those affected with the tools to live productive lives within their community," according to the embassy.

Merck has also proved a catalyst for other companies to come forward to assist China in AIDS prevention, care and treatment efforts. According to the embassy, the MOH told U.S. officials how pleased it was with the international corporate response to Merck's example.

In addition to its work with the Chinese government, Merck established a partnership with Peking University Institute of Urology to offer 12 training courses for Chinese urologists. Merck also translated its Web site into Chinese, giving public access to high quality healthcare information and also pamphlets on patient autonomy and informed consent.

Regarding its labor policy, Merck has a policy to assist its employees and family members should they contract HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria and follows international standards for labor practices as well as a clear nondiscrimination policy.