China is to launch its third unmanned spaceship soon to pave the way for sending the first Chinese astronaut into space next year, it was reported Monday.

China is expected to launch Shenzhou III soon as pre-launch preparations were "in full swing" in China's Jiuquan Launching Center, the Chinese-language newspaper Wen Wei Po said.

A manned space flight could happen as early as the latter half of next year, depending on the successful unmanned test flights of Shenzhou III and Shenzhou IV.

Shenzhou IV is expected to be launched before the end of this year, the report said.

If the launch is successful, China will be the third country after Russia and the United States to put a man into space.

China has began its unmanned spacecraft programme in 1999.

The Shenzhou II was launched in January 9, orbiting the earth 108 times.

The first Shenzhou unmanned space capsule carried out a 21-hour, 14-orbit voyage after being launched from Jiuquan in November 1999.

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