BEIJING, June 13 (NNN-XINHUA) -- China has expressed willingness to conduct aerospace co-operation with the United States.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Weimin made the remarks at a regular press briefing heer Tuesday in response to comments that China is catching up with the US in terms of aerospace development.

Media reports said China would launch its Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft in the middle of this month to perform the country's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module.

The spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long March-2F, were moved to the launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China on Saturday.

Liu said China's space industry was an important part of the peaceful exploration and utilization of outer space by the whole of humanity. "China's space activities are for peaceful purposes," he added.

He said China was ready to conduct international co-operation with other countries on aerospace technologies, including manned spaceflight technologies, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

He also said China was willing to work with other countries to advance the development of world aerospace technologies, so as to make positive contributions to the peaceful use of outer space and the well-being of all humanity. -- NNN-XINHUA