As officials prepared for tonight's return of the Shenzhou IV spacecraft, the nation's top astronaut trainer said China's training programme was as good as those in the United States and Russia.
'The training of Chinese astronauts is right on schedule,' Su Shuangning told Xinhua. '[We] are ready to send well-qualified astronauts who can represent the Chinese people into space anytime.'
Mr Su's remarks came as the country awaited the descent of the unmanned Shenzhou IV to earth today. Xinhua reported the craft would probably land in Inner Mongolia at dusk.
Launched last Sunday in Gansu province, Shenzhou IV is expected to be the nation's last unmanned space flight. Mainland scientists and experts have said the next space flight - which will probably take place in the second half of this year - will carry astronauts.
Mr Su said that like their US and Russian counterparts, Chinese astronauts had been chosen from a select group of top fighter pilots. They are an average height of 170cm and weigh about 65kg.
'According to Su Shuangning, the selection ratio of Chinese astronauts is about one in 100. This is basically the same as that in the US and Russia,' Xinhua said.