The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) is developing a national manned spaceflight strategy to replace the International Space Station program after 2020, Roscosmos deputy chief Sergei Savelyev said.

"The development of the national strategy of manned spaceflight is under way now. Along with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the industrial sector, we are preparing a certain concept beyond the ISS," Savelyev told Interfax-AVN at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday.

Roscosmos views China and Europe as the potential partners in the new strategy, with the key role belonging to Russia, Savelyev said. "The national component will be predominant in this strategy, but this also implies international cooperation. We view China and the European Space Agency as potential partners," he said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin had said earlier that Russia was not planning to extend the operation of the International Space Station after 2020, contrary to the United States' proposals, as it intended to utilize its resources on other promising space projects.

Source: Voice of Russia