China is set to host its first foreign astronaut aboard the Tiangong space station in the coming years, marking a significant milestone in the country’s expanding space diplomacy. According to Xinhua, China’s state news agency, this development follows a cooperation agreement with Pakistan to facilitate astronaut selection and training.
The partnership reflects China’s growing influence in the global space sector, as it strengthens ties with countries looking to advance their own space ambitions. Pakistan, a long-time ally of China, is set to benefit from the collaboration, leveraging China’s expertise to bolster its own space program.
In recent years, Pakistan has actively engaged in Chinese space missions, most notably contributing payloads to China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe. This latest initiative will see Pakistani astronauts selected and trained in China, preparing them for short-term missions aboard the Tiangong station.
China’s decision to welcome foreign astronauts highlights its ambition to position Tiangong as a global space hub, offering opportunities for international partnerships at a time when the U.S.-led ISS program remains restricted to allied nations. With this agreement, Pakistan is poised to make history by sending its first astronaut into space, further strengthening the growing China-Pakistan space alliance.
