"We are looking to place 10 satellites into orbit in 2004, more than any other year in China's space history," Zhang Qingwei, a top aerospace official, was quoted by the China Daily as saying.

Zhang said a next-generation satellite, currently under development, was expected to help the country entrench itself firmly within the world's small but technologically demanding space community.

The new model is a large-scale satellite with an expected mission life of 15 years.

Zhang's comments were the clearest official statement to date concerning China's space plans for 2004.

Last year, the country blasted six satellites into orbit and joined the United States and former Soviet Union in putting a man in space.

Including Explorer-1, the first Sino-European joint satellite launched last week, there are 16 Chinese satellites still operating in orbit -- far short of what is needed to cope with economic growth and national defence requirements, Zhang said.

In total, some 30 satellites are planned for launch before 2005, with the 10 scheduled for this year including meteorological, natural resources and marine observation and geospace exploration satellites, said Zhang.

China is investing heavily to develop new-generation communication satellites that will have longer life spans and be more reliable, the newspaper reported.

So far, investment has amounted to 1.3 billion yuan (156 million dollars).

China has already said it plans to launch an unmanned lunar landing program in 2004, with a lunar satellite sent up by 2007.

Its next manned space mission is expected within two years.

SPACE.WIRE