XICHANG, Sichuan -- China launched a communications satellite, "Zhongxing-11", at 0:06 am Thursday (Beijing time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan province.

"Zhongxing-11" will be mainly used in providing commercial communications services for users in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a statement from the center.

The satellite was sent by a Long March-3B rocket into the preset orbit, the statement said.

It marked the 176th launch of China's Long March series of rockets.