BEIJING – Two Pakistani astronaut candidates have been chosen, and one of them will likely become the first foreign citizens to fly onboard China’s Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The agency said Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud emerged successful in multiple rounds of selection procedures. Both will soon join the spaceflight training in China.
“Upon completing all training courses and passing relevant assessments, one of them will be selected for a mission crew as a payload specialist to participate in a spaceflight, becoming the first foreign astronaut to visit the Chinese space station,” the statement said.
If successful, this mission would make history as the first time a Pakistani citizen travels to orbit, according to the China Daily.
The space agency described the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts as a milestone achievement in China’s space program.
“It stands as an iconic achievement of international cooperation on the Chinese space station, and also a successful example of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership taking concrete shape in the space sector,” the statement said. “This fully demonstrates the open attitude of the Chinese government to share the accomplishments of its space industry with the international community.”
“China’s manned space program will always keep its doors wide open, welcoming all countries to actively participate in cooperation in fields such as scientific experiments and technological tests on the Tiangong space station, as well as astronaut selection and training,” it said. “Together, we will expand humanity’s understanding of the universe and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.”
It is recalled that China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission signed an agreement in 2025 for training of Pakistani astronauts.
