China has no intention to compete with others and take the lead in space, said a senior official with the manned space program.

China's manned space program aims to build a space station by 2020, the year the International Space Station is due to be taken out of service, according to previous reports.

Wang Zhaoyao, director-general of China Manned Space Agency, told a news conference on Friday: "It is too early to say there will only be China's space station in space, because the International Space Station's lifespan can be extended."