China says it has successfully launched a spacecraft with three astronauts tasked with completing the country's space station.

State-run China Central Television reported that the Shenzhou-14 took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China after 10:40 a.m. on Sunday, Beijing time.

The spacecraft entered its planned orbit 10 minutes later, and the launch was declared a success.

The three astronauts will spend six months in the space station, which the Chinese authorities plan to complete by the end of this year. Their mission will include the docking of two lab modules.

China has been speeding up its space program. It has sent unmanned probes to the moon and Mars and aims to become a leader in space development.