BEIJING, Nov 9: China on Monday announced that a Pakistani astronaut will join the crew of its Shenzhou-24 mission as a payload specialist, marking the first time a foreign astronaut will participate in China’s manned space programme.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, the Pakistani astronaut will undertake a short-duration orbital flight aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission before returning to Earth with the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
Responding to a question during his regular briefing, Guo said that exploring the vast universe and promoting the peaceful use of outer space are shared aspirations of humanity.
He emphasized China’s commitment to international space cooperation and its vision of building a community with a shared future in outer space.
Guo described China and Pakistan as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, noting that the participation of a Pakistani astronaut would represent a historic milestone in bilateral space cooperation.
The mission will also make the Pakistani astronaut the first foreign astronaut to enter China’s space station, marking a significant achievement in China’s expanding international cooperation in space exploration.
Guo further highlighted that the development comes as China and Pakistan commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
He reaffirmed China’s readiness to work with Pakistan to strengthen their traditional friendship, deepen cooperation in space exploration and other fields, and elevate bilateral relations to new heights.
The planned mission is expected to open a new chapter in China-Pakistan space cooperation and demonstrate the growing role of international partnerships in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.
