Premier Wen Jiabao welcomed Chinese astronauts home from Beijing, saying the mission's success was a milestone as China has become the third country to independently conduct a spacewalk.

Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, clambering out of the Shenzhou VII space craft in a technological feat that made Chinese excited. Hu: A Major Breakthrough Video: Spacewalk Photo Slideshow Monitoring Satellite Released Video: Successful Launch A Leap Forward Full Coverage

Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang slipped out of the orbital module of ShenzhouVII Saturday afternoon, starting China's first spacewalk or extravehicular activity (EVA) in the outer space.

China's manned space program are being carried out in three stages, which will culminate in the establishment of a permanent space laboratory.