Two Pakistani astronauts selected as candidates for China space program

China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space program, state broadcaster CCTV and the China Manned Space Agency said Wednesday.

The agency said Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud passed multiple rounds of selection procedures and will soon travel to China for spaceflight training.

According to the agency, one of the two candidates will later be chosen to join a mission crew as a payload specialist.

“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 that mission goes ahead, it would also mark the first time a Pakistani national has reached Earth’s orbit.

China operates the Tiangong space station, its permanently crewed orbital outpost, as part of a broader expansion of its space program.

The agency described the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts as a landmark event in the history of China’s space industry.

“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.

The agency added that the peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of humanity has long been a core mission of China’s space programs.

“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.

The statement added that such cooperation would help expand humanity’s understanding of the universe.

In February 2025, the China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission signed an agreement in Islamabad to begin bilateral cooperation on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts.

The latest announcement marks a new phase in that agreement, with both candidates now set to begin training in China before one is chosen for a future mission.

Pakistan and China maintain close ties across defense, infrastructure, trade and technology, and both governments have increasingly highlighted cooperation in science and innovation.

The selection of Pakistani candidates for China’s astronaut program is one of the most visible examples of that partnership in the space sector.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has lauded SUPARCO’s progress in advancing deep space research and commended the enduring and strong friendship between Pakistan and China.

He stated that Pakistan’s inclusion in the human spaceflight mission reflects the close and strategic ties between the two countries, marking yet another practical demonstration of their longstanding partnership.