China aims to send an astronaut to the moon by 2036, a senior space official said outlining the latest goal of the country's ambitious space program.

China must "raise its abilities and use the next 15 to 20 years to realize manned lunar exploration goals, and take a firm step for the Chinese people in breaking ground in the utilization of space," Lieutenant General Zhang Yulin, deputy commander of the China Manned Space Program, said.    

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Chinese local media said that the senior space official's statement is the first official confirmation by the government about the manned lunar exploration program.

Space experts say that China would need several advanced technology including a powerful rocket and advance space units to achieve success in its ambitious lunar mission.

China has successfully placed a man in space with its indigenously built rocket in 2003, becoming only the third nation in the world to achieve this rare fest. Since then, the Chinese space program has grown in leaps and bounce, with several of its space projects achieving global recognition.

The Chinese government has pumped millions of Yuan into the country's space program, with a clear aim to make China one of the space superpowers in the world. Experts claim that Chinese space program is not only aimed at making China self-sufficient in technology, but also to boost its global image as a rising economic power.

However, several countries including the US look at China's space program with great suspicion, fearing that Beijing may use its increasing space capabilities for military purposes. The US has banned NASA from engaging in any space cooperation with the Chinese space agency.

Tagschina, Chinese space prgram, Chinese Lunar Exploration