INSIDE CHINA TODAY
(http://www.insidechina.com/features.php3?id=113721)

The successful recent launch of China's first unmanned spacecraft will soon lead to the communist-ruled country sending a person into orbit, one of the architects of Beijing's space program said.

"We have already taken the first step," said Zhao Bing, director of the planning, finance and marketing department of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

"We will carry out follow-up flights and the results definitely will be even better. The day that the first Chinese goes into space is just around the corner," he told Reuters in a weekend interview without specifying a timeframe.

The landmark November 20 launch, which saw China's first flight of a craft capable of carrying a person into space, vaulted the country into the ranks of space powers alongside the United States and the former Soviet Union.

The Chinese dome-shaped ship known as "Shenzhou" or "Divine Vessel" flew for 21 hours and orbited the earth 14 times.

The academy has played a key role in the program and also helped develop and manufacture a new type of Long March rocket, which was used to carry the Shenzhou into orbit.

AGE OLD DREAM COMES TRUE

"It is great and exciting that this was achieved," Zhao said. "This was a dream of the Chinese people for thousands of years." Zhao had been speaking in Wuhan in central China after a shareholders meeting of Wuhan Cable Group Co Ltd.

The academy is Wuhan Cable's largest shareholder and Zhou was recently appointed that firm's vice-chairman.

The 36-year-old Zhao spoke with pride of the space project and contributions made by his institute, the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology and the Shanghai Research Institute of Astronautical Technology.

"The key (to our success) was that we did it all ourselves. This was entirely made in China."

A U.S. congressional report in May alleged that China had stolen U.S. space, missile and nuclear secrets - a charge vehemently denied by Beijing.

Zhao declined to comment on the relationship between the research institute and the military, saying only that ties were similar to those found between foreign aerospace firms and their governments.

State media has praised the army's efforts in the Chinese space program.

Foreign analysts have said the program could benefit the development of China's strategic missiles, although U.S. experts said the Chinese flight had minimal implications for military affairs.

Zhao said China's intentions were peaceful.

"We can definitely tell the world...we are using space for peaceful purposes," he said.

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