China is planning to launch its first Mars probe by the end of the decade, according to a white paper entitled "China's Space Activities in 2016" published by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday.

"China intends to execute its first Mars exploration operation and grasp key technologies for orbiting, landing and roving exploration," the paper said.

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The Global Times reported that the probe also aims to carry out key technological research to bring back samples from Mars, asteroid exploration, exploration of the Jupiter system, and planet fly-by exploration.

"...Related projects will be implemented to conduct research into major scientific questions such as the origin and evolution of the solar system, and search for extraterrestrial life," the white paper noted.

China is also planning to soft land a probe on the far side of the moon by 2018 through the Chang'e-4 lunar probe, Yahoo News reported.

The probe is expected to carry out in situ and mobile detection as well as pass communications at earth-moon L2 point.

Successfully achieving mankind's first landing to the moon could mean that China has already mastered key technologies needed to land on a particular lunar surface, He Qisong, Shanghai University of Political Science and Law's space security expert, said.

"China never talks big and says something it's unable to achieve," he noted.

Yahoo News noted that although it was not mentioned in the white paper, China is aiming to land an astronaut on the moon.

Meanwhile, just last month, two Chinese astronauts, who spent a month in space for China's longest manned mission, have successfully landed back on Earth on board the Shenzhou-11. The two stayed on the Tiangong-2 experimental space station.

Tagschina, china mars mission, China Lunar Exploration, China Space Exploration, China space news