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China has launched a manned spacecraft to build its own space station.
The plan is to complete the space station by the end of next year, and we have decided to build a space base on the moon in cooperation with Russia against the United States.
Correspondent Song Wook in Beijing reports.
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[3, 2, 1, Ignite!]
A rocket carrying the Shenzhou 12, meaning ship of the gods, soars into the sky.
For each successful rocket separation, the three astronauts circled their fingers.
[Zhang Zifen / Zhuquan Satellite Launch Center Center Director: The solar panel worked normally. We declare the successful launch of the manned spacecraft Shenzhou 12.]
This manned space launch, the first in China in five years, is to build its own space station 'Tengong'.
The astronauts who successfully docked with the space station's core facility 'Tianhe' uploaded in April will stay in space for three months.
[Fig Ming / China manned space agency deputy director. The astronauts will validate the long-term retention and space materials supply, honorable activities and operations;
the Chinese government and state media have this yirwojin ahead of the 100th anniversary founded the Communist Party of China on the 1st of next month Manned spacecraft launches are being heavily promoted.
China plans to launch eight more spacecraft to complete Tiangong by the end of next year, but it will become the only space station when the US-led International Space Station (ISS) ceases operation as scheduled in 2024.
China also agreed to build a lunar research base in cooperation with Russia, which is working to rebuild a space power against the United States.
Russia also plans to send astronauts to the Chinese space station.
China is close to building a space station after mankind's first landing on the far side of the moon and successful exploration of Mars.
China's 'running into space', which aims to become the most powerful country in space by 2045, is accelerating.
(Video coverage: Choi Duk-hyun, video editing: Lee Seung-yeol)