The launch of China's third manned spacecraft Shenzhou-7 was an important part of China's effort to "explore and make peaceful use of outer space," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in Beijing on Thursday.

The ultimate purpose of China's manned space mission is to explore and make peaceful use of outer space, in a bid to boost the national economy and benefit the people, Liu told a routine press conference.

"We believe this will further promote China's space flight technology and make a contribution to the peaceful use of outer space for humankind. We wish the Shenzhou-7 mission a complete success," he said.

China has announced that the Shenzhou-7 spacecraft will lift off on Thursday night. This will be the third Chinese manned space mission, but the first time Chinese astronauts perform a spacewalk.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2008)