China to become aerospace power by 2030

BEIJING -- China aims to become a global aerospace power by 2030, said Xu Dazhe, director of the China National Space Administration, on Friday.

Xu said at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that China is a major country pursuing aerospace development and aims to become a true aerospace power in 15 years, thanks in part to the 13th Five-year plan to drive aerospace growth.

Although China has made great headway, "the United States and Russia are ahead of us, and Europe also has advanced technology," Xu said.

China will complete aerospace projects currently underway by around 2020, including manned space programs, lunar probes, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and the Gaofen observation satellite program, Xu said.

Around 2025, China will complete construction of national civilian space infrastructure, Xu added.

According to a plan issued last year, China will build a civilian space infrastructure system including satellite remote sensing, satellite communication and broadcasting, satellite navigation and positioning.

Xu said China will compile its 13th Five-year Plan (2016-2020) on aerospace development and space science this year.