News about the success of China's manned spaceship project has again flowed in. The Shenzhou-VI manned spaceship launched by Long March-2F carrier rocket lifted off on October 12, marking the beginning of another journey to the outer space by the Chinese. Here we express our warm congratulations and high respects for the broad masses of aerospace scientific and technological workers.

Shenzhou-VI manned spaceship flight is China's first space scientific experiment with man's participation in its real sense, is an important phase in the second-step task of the "three-step" strategy for China's manned space project, marking the entry of China's manned space project into a new stage. The successful launch of the Shenzhou-VI manned spacecraft expresses Chinese characteristic and technical progress, embodies China's overall national strength and international competitiveness and enhances the Chinese people's national self-confidence and cohesive force. Chinese sons and daughters are inspired by and feel proud of this success.

Implementation of this manned space project is an important strategic decision of far-reaching significance made by the Party Central Committee. As early as 1992, a "three-step" goal of "launching manned spaceship -- launching a space laboratory and building a perpetual space station" was fixed for China's manned space project. Along with the complete success of Shenzhou-V manned spaceship flight, the first-step plan was successfully accomplished. The Shenzhou-VI spaceship flight serves as a connecting link between the preceding and the following. From "one man, one day" flight to "several-person and multi-day" flight, and from technical innovation to organization and implementation, Shenzhou-VI manned spaceship flight will continue to check the basic technology of manned space flight, continue to conduct space scientific experiments and continue to perfect the functions and performances of the seven major systems of manned space project, laying a solid foundation for making a breakthrough in the astronaut's activity of leaving the capsule and in the space intersection and interface technology of the flight vehicle, till realization of the "three-step" strategy.

The smooth advance of the manned space project is the result of the staunch leadership over the manned spaceship undertaking exercised by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as the general secretary, is the latest accomplishment gained by all comrades on the aerospace front through conscientiously implementing the scientific concept of development. The vast number of space scientific and technological workers, energetically carrying forward the spirit of "atom and hydrogen bombs and man-made earth satellite) and the manned spaceship flight spirit featuring the special capability of fighting, tackling difficult problems, and making dedication, and displaying a lofty sense of mission and a high sense of responsibility, they persist in making scientific and technological progress and independent innovation, strive to bring about a leap in technological development, firmly grasp the initiative in their own hands for the development of sophisticated technology and constantly take new strides forward for the development of China's aerospace undertaking and national defense science and technology.

Practice proves that the Party Central Committee's important decision on implementing manned spaceship project is absolutely correct. With the superiority of the socialist system for concentrating strengths and resources on running important undertakings and with the unremitting efforts of the scientific and technological workers in general, China's manned spaceship undertaking will definitely be able to continually score remarkable achievements and write glorious epics on the Chinese nation's unremitting efforts for constant progress.

The universe has infinite mystery and the outer space is eternal wealth for mankind. It is mankind's common goal to constantly explore the mystery of the universe, make peaceful use of the resources of outer space so as to bring benefits for the people. Manned spaceship technology is a useful exploration of ways for humanity to realize this goal. As we implement the manned spaceship project, our aim is, together with the international community, to conduct peaceful exploitation and utilization of the outer space and bring benefits for humankind. China should and can create and do something in the great cause of mankind's exploration of the outer space and thus make its due contribution in mankind's noble cause of promoting scientific and technological progress and propelling the peace and development of humanity.

The good news about the successful launch of Shenzhou-VI spaceship that came at the triumphant close of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th Party Central Committee will greatly inspire the people of all Chinese ethnic groups to proudly take new strides forward in the great course of building a well-off society in an all-round manner, and will immensely encourage all comrades on the aerospace front to continue to scale manned spaceship science heights and render new meritorious services for the building of a well-off society in an all-round way and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

We wish Shenzhou-VI manned spaceship flight complete success!

This commentary is carried on the fourth page of People's Daily, October 13, and is translated by People's Daily Online