Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday hailed the success of China's first manned space flight.

Jiang praised the flight as "more proof of the will and capability of the Chinese people to the peak of world science and technology.''

He said this yesterday in a telephone call to Li Jinai, the most senior official in charge of the country's piloted space flight programme.

Jiang said: "I am very happy and excited to hear that our country's first manned space flight has turned out to be a complete success.''

The CMC chairman congratulated all scientists and technicians, cadres, workers, army officers and soldiers involved in the flight of Shenzhou-V, which returned successfully early yesterday morning after orbiting the Earth 14 times in 21 hours.

"I believe that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Hu Jintao as general secretary, we will surely make more brilliant achievements in developing aerospace activities and in developing China's science and technology as a whole,'' Jiang said.

Premier Wen said in his congratulatory message that China's first manned space flight has been a complete success, which shall be written into the history of China's space programme development.

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