Wang Jiaqi, who is in charge of the designing team of the Shenzhou spaceships, on Monday ran the Olympic torch relay Changchun leg as the first torchbearer.

"At this moment, I am looking forward to the August Games and our century-old dream of holding a Games will be realized," Wang told Xinhua after finishing his relay on Monday morning.

The 68-year-old Wang, an academician of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), is well known in Chinese spaceflight industry.

Even before sending the first Chinese astronaut into space with Shenzhou V in October 2003, Wang and his team had already started working on Shenzhou VI.

Wang said that he shed happy tears when Shenzhou VI returned safely on October 17, 2005.

"I have been longing for the Olympic Games since I was a child, and I am very honored to be a torchbearer of this event," Wang said.

"Being a torchbearer is an inspiration to me. I wish I could help plant the spirit and culture of Olympic Games deeply into everyone's mind.

"As a developing country, Chinese spaceflight industry is in an early stage. I think that we researchers must also have the Olympic spirit in order to help our nation catch up with the technically advanced countries," Wang said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2008)