China Expanding Space Program

China has announced its plans to grow its space program in order to better compete with programs of Western nations.

"I believe a space program represents a country’s high technology and I believe China has already become a major country in high technology," Vice Minister of Science and Technology Li Xueyong told reporters.

"Our success shows not only the progress of the space program but also our overall level of science and technology."

Additionally, China on Thursday announced 45 new astronaut candidates ““ 30 male and 15 female. The military-controlled space program will select five men and two women to take part in three missions by 2012.

Candidates have been selected from China’s air force program, and are between the ages of 27 and 34.

China sent its first astronauts into space in 2003, and completed its first spacewalk last year.

Li told reporters that the nation plans to pump 35 billion dollars into new developments.

According to AFP, China spent 37 billion dollars on new technologies in 2008.

Despite the apparent decline in tech spending, Li said that China’s science and technology spending has grown 40-fold since 1978.

"Compared to European countries and the United States there is still a large gap. That is why we must intensify our efforts in developing high-tech and related industries," Li told reporters.