Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of China's manned space program, won the country's top science and technology prize along with renowned geologist Liu Dongsheng on Friday.

The two ace Chinese scientists each won the 5-million-yuan (US$604,500) State Preeminent Science and Technology Award for 2003 at an award-giving ceremony held in Beijing Friday.

Wang, a 72-year-old academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), has been the chief designer of China's manned space program in the past dozen years since 1992.

China launched its ever first-manned spacecraft Shenzhou-5 on Dec. 15 last year and planned to send the second one, Shenzhou-6, by 2005.

Liu Dongsheng, a noted geologist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) born in 1917, is one of the eminent pioneers in China's geographic environmental research, especially the research on loess.

China annually presents five state science and technology awards, namely, the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award and the International Scientific and Technological Award.

The 5-million-yuan State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, established in the year 2000, is granted to two persons at most every year.

The winner receives 500,000 yuan and the remaining 4.5 million yuan is used for future scientific research under his guidance.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2004)