BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China's successful launch of its second manned spacecraft Shenzhou-6 on Oct. 12 has drawn worldwide applause in recognition of the technological advances to become the world's third nation capable of putting a man into space.

It is widely believed at home and abroad that the latest progress made by China will surely improve national cohesiveness and make the country's 1.3 billion people more confident in their future in terms of social and economic progress.

However, some people in and outside China describe China's manned space program as a prestige project which yields little economic benefit.

They argue that billions of US dollars spent on the decade-old space program may be better used for poverty relief and education as millions of Chinese still have a poor living and many children cannot afford basic schooling.

Qi Faren, who took part in developing the country's first satellite launched in 1970 and acted as the chief designer of China's first five Shenzhou spaceships, said mankind needs to make use of space resources for sustainable human development.

Space technology has become increasingly important for the exploration and peaceful use of space resources due to the shrinking reserve of natural resources on the Earth, said the grey-haired scientist in his 70s.

He estimated that the lunar reserve of isotope helium 3 is sufficient for human need for about 10,000 years, which is attractive to the mankind being troubled by high oil prices and limited oil reserve.

Experts say China has benefited from the dividend of its investment in space sector. Space technology has become an indispensable part of people's daily life, such as weather forecast, telecommunications, disaster reduction, and resources prospecting.

Striving hard to feed its 1.3 billion people and more in the future, China has been developing improved species of crops on thebasis of space technology, mostly through recoverable satellites and spacecraft.

Gu Yidong, chief designer of the spacecraft application system of China's manned space program, said the information obtained from Shenzhou-3 and Shenzhou-4 in Earth observation has been used for maritime pollution control and desertification control projects, which is useful for China and other parts of the world.

Experiments in new materials, pharmaceutical products and life sciences have been conducted as part of manned space programs in many countries, said Xu Dazhe, deputy general manager of the China Space and Technology Group, developer of China's spacecraft and Long March carrier rockets.

Zhang Qingwei, a rocket expert and deputy commander-in-chief ofChina Manned Space Program, described a manned space program as a highly complicated project and the most challenging one of space technology.

"It is the indication a country's comprehensive national strengthen and scientific and technological capability as a whole," he said.

Hu Shixiang, deputy commander-in-chief of China Manned Space Program, told Xinhua on the eve of Shenzhou-6's launch that China's manned space program is designed to make peaceful use of space resources, which "will eventually benefit the world."

Bearing that notion in mind, China has been open to international cooperation.

"Different countries should work with each other in manned space projects as space programs are too costly for a single nation, and it will be economically and technological beneficial if countries join together in space projects," he said.

Each scientific and technological achievement China has made inits manned space program will help promote the world's scientific and technological development. And once commercialized, the beneficiaries will be both the Chinese and people in the whole world at large, he said.

China's economic reform and opening-up during the past 27 years have helped reduce the poor population from 250 million in 1978 to about 20 million, according to a World Bank report.

China has pinned high hopes on the advancement of science and technology, including space technology, for its sustainable socialand economic development, as its stunning economic progress featuring intensive input of resources is challenged by the shortage of energy and raw materials.

China's economy has been growing at an average 9.4 percent annually in the past 27 years since 1978.

China has listed space technology and information technology among the country's seven high-tech fields in its national high-tech research and development program initiated in 1986.