"On the basis of summing up the experience of the successful launch of the Shenzhou V manned spacecraft, the country will send its next Shenzhou craft in one to two years," Xie Mingbao, a spokesman for China's space program, told a news conference.

But he refused to be drawn into a specific timetable, saying China's space program was still in its infancy.

"Our space program has just begun. And in developing China's space program, we're not actually planning to catch up with the Mir space station or international space station at this moment," he said.

"In the near future, we plan to realize the following objectives: In a few years, we plan to resolve the problem of space walking, later on we plan to make progress in the rendezvous and docking of space crafts ..."

Analysts have speculated that China is likely to aim for a space station in 2008, and, in close contest with India, an unmanned mission to the Moon the same year.

China, which has benefited from Russian technology and training in establishing its space program, did not rule out closer cooperation with the United States in future years.

"Of course in this process, we're not ruling out the possibility of getting external assistance," he said.

"The US and Russia have a lot more experience than we do in this regard. We are very willing to learn from them."

SPACE.WIRE