In 2003, the United States launched Quakesat 1, an earth observation nanosatellite for collecting earthquake precursor signals from space. The next year, France blasted off a satellite for "Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER)."

Earlier this year, Russia placed into orbit Compass 2, which is expected to "help take the first step in the practical forecasting of earthquakes from space," according to Russian news reports

"China looks forwards to international co-operation in developing its satellite," Luo said. "We are open to various kinds of collaboration, including supply of equipment, funding and data sharing."

Luo also suggested that global earthquake monitoring satellites form a network to attain better prediction results.

Tom Bleier, CEO of Quakefinder, whose company joined forces with Stanford University and Lockheed Martin Corp to launch Quakesat 1, said yesterday he applauded China's latest effort.

"I would also encourage them to share their data with researchers from the United States, France and Russia and other places," he said in a telephone interview, adding that his company is willing to collaborate with China on earthquake prediction.

Bleier and Friedemann Freund, a scientist at a research centre with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), said the connection between large earthquakes and electromagnetic phenomena in the ground and in the ionosphere is becoming increasingly solid.

They cited the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake near San Francisco, which sent out strong signals of magnetic disturbances a full two weeks before the 7.1-magnitude quake occurred and killed 63 people.