The successful launch of the Shenzhou V manned spacecraft has put China at the world's scientific and technological forefront, the local British media said on Wednesday.

The milestone flight, which has made China the third country in the world to send a man into the space, will give a great impetus to China's scientific and technological development, said Singtao Daily, a local newspaper in Chinese, in its editorial on Wednesday. "Chinese all over the world wish a good luck to the full flight," it said.

"The launch is extremely important for China and will propel them to the forefront of scientific and technological advances," said Peter Bond, a space science advisor to the Royal Astronomical Society in London in an interview with The Independent newspaper.

The flight's impact will be far deeper than mere pride, the Financial Times newspaper commented. China's growing reputation as a reliable and low-price launcher of commercial satellites will be reinforced by the successful manned flight, Bates Gill, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, was quoted as saying.

BBC reported that the European Space Agency has joined forces with China for a space science mission, Double Star, which will study the effects of the Sun on the Earth.

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