The Chinese government has, in all, allocated 18 billion yuan (about US$2.2 billion) to its manned space program by the time of successful return of the Shenzhou V space vehicle Thursday morning, according to a press release Thursday.

The fund was mainly used for scientific research, manufacturing of equipment and instruments, the construction of essential facilities for research and tests, and consequently a system complete with all necessary departments of research, production and test related to manned spaceflight was established.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2003)