Although Chinese officials said that the spacecraft was designed and built within the country, the Chinese space program has relied on Russian technology and specialists. Yet the Senate space policy aide speculated that Congress and the administration would seek a way to tout the U.S. piloted program as a political response to the launch. The aide said it remains unclear whether this means re-focused attention on completing the International Space Station or a public relations ploy symbolizing the strength of the U.S. program. The plan was expected to have been voted on this month, but consideration was blocked in the Senate. John Logsdon, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, said the launch should come as no surprise, as China had worked toward manned launch for decades.
China is a very capable country.
It has said publicly that it was going to do this.