The Shenzhou VII manned space mission delegation, including three taikonauts or Chinese astronauts, arrived in Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Monday to kick off a three-day visit to the city.

The delegation is led by Zhang Jianqi, Deputy Commander-in- Chief of China's Manned Space Engineering Program, joined with three taikonauts of the Shenzhou VII space mission, Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, and other members of China's Manned Space Engineering Program.

The three taikonauts jointly carried out China's historic maiden space walk this September with the Shenzhou VII spacecraft, which means "divine vessels" in English.

The delegation will brief Macao people on Monday afternoon at a seminar on the launch of Shenzhou VII, space walk technology and China's aerospace science development.

During their stay in Macao, the delegation will also meet students and young people at a seminar and brief them on the launch of Shenzhou VII, space walk technology and China's aerospace science development.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2008)