Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with staff members at the command center of China's manned space program in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 9, 2016. Xi Jinping on Wednesday talked with the two astronauts in the space lab Tiangong-2, at the command center of China's manned space program. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)
Xi said he was delighted to learn the astronauts were in good condition, speaking highly of their coordinated efforts in facing difficulties.
The president said he hoped the two astronauts would keep up the good work through close cooperation and careful operation, so as to complete their mission.
Shenzhou-11, China's sixth manned spacecraft, was launched on Oct. 17 from northwest China's Gobi Desert.
It approached Tiangong-2, which was launched into space on Sept. 15, and automatically docked with the space lab on Oct. 19.
The mission aims to transport personnel and materials between Earth and Tiangong-2, and test the ability to successfully meet, dock and return.
Other objectives include aerospace medical experiments, space science experiments and in-orbit maintenance.
Before the talk, Jing and Chen carried out an in-orbit maintenance test using man-robotics coordination, the first ever such test in space.
