Forty work units and 400 individuals were honored at a rally in Beijing Thursday for their eminent contributions to China's first manned space flight on Oct. 15 and 16 last year.

The Ministry of Personnel, the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, and the General Armaments Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army decided that the participating units, including the manned space project office, should be conferred the title of "the collective unit contributing tremendously to China's manned space project".

Individuals, including Chen Bingzhong, deputy chief designer for the project, were conferred the title of "Prominent contributor to China's manned space project".

China launched its manned space program in 1992.

(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2004)