China picks its first spacewomen

China has picked its first group of women to be trained as astronauts, according the state news agency Xinhua.

The 35 women, aged between 17 and 20, will first train as pilots at the Chinese military's Aviation University, Xinhua quoted an official as saying.

Some will then be picked for space missions, and China's first female is due to be launched into space by 2010.

China achieved its first manned space flight in October 2003. It plans to launch another mission later this year.

The short listed women were picked from more than 200,000 hopefuls, according to Xinhua.--