What is scheduled with some certainty are SZ7, the suit and docking tests, and then their Experimental Laboratory: SZ 8, 9 and 10, three launches within a month of each other, two of 2 modules each, and one (?) with the dock and power system.
What appears to be happening is that the new engine technologies that are appearing are delaying the scheduled development of the CZ5 launch vehicle. China's key goal here is the world's lowest satellite launch costs, and the new AF engines with pararchute recovery or the SpaceX pressure fed engines may provide this. The original design featured two different sized liquid strap on boosters, which meant 3 production lines, which is too expensive to meet the goal.
It is intended that the new CZ5 launcher will be used to launch the "space station", which will have its own engines and fuel tranfer capabilities, but until the CZ5 design is finalized the station's final design is on hold to some degree. The experimental laboratory modules will be docked to this new core whenever it is launched and continue to be used. Before the new core, individual SZ's will be used for keeping the altitude and orientation of the experimental laboratory.
The CE3 will be a test of manned lunar re-entry systems, and could be launched with either one CZ5 or with 2 CZ2 variants, one of them used to launch a TLI stage, as CP has calculated. CE4 will be a manned circum-lunar flight, and could also be launched either way, perhaps sometime around 2018.
China is also disussing a heavy capsule for use with their space station, one similar to the capsule developed by the Soviets for use with their Zenith launcher. Given its limited role I doubt if this will go through, but one never knows. A Klipr type spaceship with its lunar abilities might be more desirable.
Whatever happens in this period, about 2023 or so China will begin work on a fuel transfer station in lunar orbit and manned outpost on the Moon. The station and landing frame will take around 4 CZ5 launches to put in place (remember that CZ5 will be the world's lowest cost satellite launcher), and then another 4 for the manned outpost infrastructure. (This later will most likely be a mobile laboratory.)
This will be similar to the current Russian proposed architecture, except that its goal will be to build a CAPS type system with a high powered laser and/or radar, and the world's best telesope. China has around 6,000 years of continuous history to remember, and impact events are remembered in that history, in particular the fate of the First Emperor.
Well, that's my best estimate right now, but things often turn out in ways that one can not foresee. As they say in China, (and I don't know if I have this right), Cao knee men.
Rough outline of the Chinese manned space program
