China has successfully completed its first spacewalk in an exercise that is seen as key to China's goal to build an orbiting space station.

Astronaut Zhai Zhigang completed the 15 minute spacewalk after clambering out of China's Shenzhou VII space craft.

Zhai wore a Chinese-made spacesuit that is thought to have cost 4.4 million U.S. dollars.

The event was broadcast live on national TV.