China's ambition to reach Mars is a reflection of its growing economic might, allowing it to develop its space exploration capability.

Bringing back samples from Mars was set as a top priority in a recent U.S. science priorities review, although the cost has been seen as astronomical. But a planning group put out a report in September on how to accomplish the mission affordably.

Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar orbiter project, was quoted by the official news agency Xinhua as saying that a three-phase probe to Mars was envisaged.

Briefing the Chinese Society of Astronautics on the moon-landing orbiter Chang'e-3, he said that program could help build a telecommunication network that covers a future Mars probe. Chang'e-3 is expected to be launched in the second half of 2013.

The three stages of the Mars probe will entail remote sensing, soft-landing and exploration, and the probe would return after automatic sampling, Ouyang said.

(Reporting By Lucy Hornby; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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