China lays out plan to build research station on moon

China has unveiled a grand vision to build a lunar base on the moon, local media reported Tuesday.

A long-term three-stage roadmap aims to have the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) fully operational by 2050, English daily the South China Morning Post cited Wu Weiren, chief designer of the country's lunar exploration program, as saying.

"By building a large-scale long-term platform beyond Earth to explore the moon and the universe, we will pool the wisdom of space engineers and scientists from all over the world, greatly improve our understanding of the lunar environment and our ability to use lunar resources, and support mankind's dream to one day travel to Mars and beyond," Wu told the first International Deep Space Exploration Conference in Hefei on Tuesday.

Wu said the mission will not only show China's responsibility as a world space power but also serve as a fair sample to "build a community with a shared future for mankind."