The 77th International Astronautical Congress, held in Antalya, Turkey, served as the venue for updates on China's space program. Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, confirmed that the first international astronauts are currently undergoing training for missions to the Chinese space station.
The selection process concluded in April, resulting in the inclusion of two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Dawood. These individuals are now participating in joint training exercises alongside Chinese astronauts. According to the current flight schedule, one of the Pakistani astronauts will serve as a payload specialist for a short-term mission.
China intends to utilize its space station as a global platform for scientific collaboration, covering areas such as research, astronaut training, and educational outreach. Looking further ahead, Yang Liwei noted that China plans to develop a lunar research station and is actively seeking international partners for future moon exploration and scientific development projects.
