China announced this week that it plans to be the first country to conduct a landing on the dark side of the moon in 2018, even launch the first Chinese probe to Mars in 2020.

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A "white paper" was released by the China National Space Administration that details the nation's space programs and strategy for the next five years. The paper revealed how China is planning to explore the cosmos and develop its space industry to become a global "space power."

In less than 15 years, China has made significant progress in space technology and exploration such as establishing its first manned mission in lower Earth orbit and completing a successful spacewalk, including landing a lunar rover on the surface of the moon in 2013.

The white paper reveals that China's space missions are aimed at peaceful purposes even if they are part of its national security program. A permanent crewed space station will be established within six years, and the orbiting space laboratory will be fully functional for at least a decade.

For its upcoming lunar mission, China aims to launch the Chang'e-4 probe to study the formation and the evolution of the moon. The probe will carry out surveys to study the moon's geological features and topography including radar observations on the landing site on the far side of the moon.

The white paper also reveals China's plans to launch a spacecraft to Mars within the next four years to collect samples for intensive analysis. Apart from the Red Planet, China also plans to launch asteroid missions and explore the gas giant Jupiter and its moons.

China could be planning to land an astronaut on the surface of the moon. However, the white paper did not directly reveal any plans about a second manned lunar mission.