"China's space technology still lags behind the advanced nations and is increasingly not adapted to the rapidly growing demand of the country's modernization process," said Yuan Jiajun, president of the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology.

The keep pace, the country is drawing up middle- and long-term plans for the industry to "help keep China at a relatively leading status," added Yuan Jiajun, president of the Chinese Research Institutue of Space Technology.

"We'll develop more satellites so as to form a joint earth observation system and a new-generation regional satellite navigating and positioning system," he was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

The research and development of communications, experimental and exploration satellites will also be key, the report said.

China launched its 21st scientific satellite on Tuesday.

The emerging space power plans to launch its next manned space mission in early October with two astronauts circling the earth for five to six days following its maiden manned flight in October 2003.

China is also developing its first unmanned lunar exploration craft for a launch by 2006, Yuan said.

Despite its achievements, China remains excluded from the US-led partnership in the International Space Station confined currently to Canada, Japan, Russia, 11 nations of the European Space Agency and Brazil.

Keenly aware of the military, scientific and commercial benefits of space know-how, China has been aggressively pursuing space exploration for decades and has taken great leaps forward.

Since its space program was set up in 1992 it has grown to employ tens of thousands of scientific, manufacturing and planning personnel in more than 3,000 centres.

All rights reserved. copyright 2018 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.