BEIJING (Reuters) - China plans to build a fourth space launch center for commercial satellites on the southern island of Hainan, the official China Economic Times reported on Thursday.

The plan had passed a feasibility study and would be referred to the cabinet for approval, the newspaper quoted an official of the Hainan provincial government as saying.

Hainan has several advantages as a launch site including being an island so that if a launch went wrong the rocket would fall into the sea, the newspaper said.

Last month, China launched its first unpiloted spacecraft, putting it in the exclusive space club with the United States and Russia.

The craft was launched from the Jiuquan satellite launch center in the northwestern province of Gansu.