Xi shares his joy with space program staff

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President Xi Jinping met with representatives from organizations participating in the Shenzhou-10 Manned Spacecraft flight mission on Tuesday evening at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) attends a see-off ceremony for Chinese astronauts of a manned space mission at the astronauts' apartment building at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province, June 11, 2013. The three astronauts are Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

At 17:38 p.m., a three-member crew including one woman set off on the new space mission.

In the meeting, Xi extended his warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all the participants of the latest launch, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the State Council and the Central Military Commission (CMC).

"Today, the Shenzhou-10 Spacecraft has been successfully launched and precisely put into the orbit, which means that our country's fifth manned space mission has succeeded in the first phase," said Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CMC.

"At this very moment, I am sharing the same feeling with everyone," he went on saying. "I am very happy and excited."

In his speech, the president highlighted the Space Dream that China has pursued continuously by developing the space program and turning the country into a space power.

Xi spoke highly of those involved in the manned space program for their persistence in the ideal and pursuit to pay back the nation by developing a space industry, as well as their hard work.

"The Party and the people will never forget the prominent achievements made by all the comrades for the nation's space undertakings," he stressed.

The mission of the Shenzhou-10 Manned Spacecraft is of great significance for the country's efforts to consolidate and improve the rendezvous and docking technology and promote the development of space lab and space station, Xi said.

He urged the staff of the manned space program to sum up experience, exert persistent efforts and carry out all the subsequent work carefully.