Jiang, current chairman of the Central Military Commission, telephoned the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center to offer congratulations on the success of China's first manned spaceflight, the Xinhua news agency said.

Jiang, who stepped down as president and head of the Chinese Communist Party in November last year, retained the post as military chief and had been widely expected by analysts to take part in launching ceremonies.

But the 77-year-old leader was not reported by state media to be at the launching center in northwest China's Gansu province when the spacecraft lifted off Wednesday and did not relay any message to astronaut Yang Liwei, 38.

Jiang's successor, President Hu Jintao, instead took the limelight, wishing Yang a smooth journey in a highly public display.

On Thursday, it was Premier Wen Jiabao who spoke to Yang after he landed safely.

Hu and Wen, neither of whom are Jiang proteges, are among a new generation of leaders who took over from an older generation in a major leadership transition in March.

The capsule landed at 6.23 am (2223 GMT Wednesday) in the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia around the Siziwang area some 300 kilometres (186 miles) northwest of the capital Beijing after orbiting the earth 14 times.

The mission made China the third country in the world to launch a man into space.

SPACE.WIRE