(China Military News cited from redorbit.com) -- China's most well-known astronaut said Friday that his country and the United States should make good on promises of cooperation in space made by their respective presidents, reports Reuters.

"I think the two countries should proactively implement the intent expressed in the joint communiqué to eliminate obstacles and promote exchange and cooperation in our space programs," said Yang Liwei, now the vice director of the country's Manned Space Engineering Office.

Efforts in the past to bring a US-China space coalition have failed, foiled by economic, diplomatic and security tensions, despite a 2009 attempt by US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao to launch a partnership.

The two leaders, in a joint statement in November 2009, called for "the initiation of a joint dialogue on human spaceflight and space exploration, based on the principles of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit."

But US fears over national defense and technology transfer were significant roadblocks thwarting those efforts. And a Beijing anti-satellite test in January 2007 using a ground-based missile to destroy one of its inactive weather satellites didn't ease any tensions between the two nations.

Yang, considered a hero of China's space program and the first Chinese to go to space, made the statement during a carefully controlled media visit to China's astronaut training facility in Beijing.

Even without collaboration from the United States, China will push forward. China has cooperative help from Russia and other countries, possibly constituting the next best hope for the future of space exploration.

China plans to attempt its first space docking between two unmanned vehicles this year, the first step in its efforts to build a Chinese space station, a senior official said Friday.

"Our next goal is to realize a space docking of two vehicles during the second half of 2011," said Yang.