BEIJING (Reuters) -- China on Saturday announced plans to launch a satellite to monitor the Earth but made no mention of its top-secret first manned space flight expected any day now.

State television said China would launch a satellite at the end of 2003 in line with a Sino-European surveying project.

"The testing of the Long March 2 carrier rocket is running smoothly and the launch will be carried out as scheduled," it said, without giving details.

China is expected in the next few days to become only the third country to put a person into orbit after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

Official media have been secretive about the launch date, but speculation is widespread it would be during or near the week-long National Day holiday, which started on October 1.

An official at the China Aviation Manned Aircraft Office told Reuters China would officially announce the date of the launch ahead of time.

"It's hard to say," he said when asked if the launch would be during the holiday or later in the month. Another official, who declined to be identified, said: "We'll officially announce the date of launch and the number of spaceman at the right time. We won't give any details before that."

China has announced plans for probes of the moon and Mars and already is established as a launcher of rockets for satellites.

A successful manned flight, on the heels of Beijing winning a bid to host the 2008 Olympics, could fuel nationalism and boost the Communist Party's credibility as China seeks a place on the world stage alongside great powers.

A failure would be a loss of face and would raise questions about the necessity of a space program in a country where 140 million people live on less than $1 a day.

The Beijing Review magazine said 14 air force pilots had been chosen as a pool of candidates for the manned flight, based on strict physical and psychological tests. There are believed to be three seats.

"All are 1.7 meters (about 5' 7") high and weigh around 65kg (143 lb)," it quoted Su Shuangning, chief commander of the astronauts-training sector, as saying. "More than 20 kinds of China-made and researched space food have been prepared. And the spacesuits to be worn by the astronauts, which weigh about 10 kg apiece and each cost as much as a luxury car, are ready for use."