[1] In 1958, the Chinese Academy of Science proposed Project 581 which included a plan to launch a satellite into space before 1 October 1959.
On 21 January 1959, Zhang Jingfu, who was in charge in the satellite research program, postponed the project to allow effort to be put into developing more basic technologies, such as sounding rocketry.
In August 1968, the Central Special Committee approved Chinese Academy of Science's plan, which later became Project 651.
[1] In June 1965, the Central Special Committee made the decision to pursue development of a launch vehicle.
[1] According to Boris Chertok's memoirs, when the first Soviet space station, Salyut 1, was under construction, its designated name was "Zarya" (which means "Dawn", in Russian).