China ready to strengthen space ties as Pakistani astronaut prepares for Tiangong mission

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian guesters during a press briefing in Bejing, China, on March 3, 2025. (Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs China)

• Chinese spokesperson hopes Pakistani astronaut’s entry into the Chinese space station will be a success
• The Pakistani astronaut will train as a scientific payload specialist to conduct research aboard the station

ISLAMABAD: China is prepared to strengthen space cooperation with Pakistan, its embassy in Islamabad said on Tuesday, quoting Chinese Foreign Spokesperson Lin Jian, who highlighted a day earlier a Pakistani astronaut would soon join the Chinese space station successfully.
Pakistan’s space agency signed a cooperation agreement with China last week, paving the way for the country’s first astronaut to embark on a mission to the Chinese space station, Tiangong.
According to Pakistan’s Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the Pakistani astronaut will be trained as a scientific payload specialist to conduct research aboard the station.
The mission will focus on scientific experiments across disciplines, including biological and medical sciences, aerospace, applied physics, fluid mechanics, space radiation, ecology, material sciences, microgravity studies and astronomy.
“China is ready to work with Pakistan to elevate our space cooperation to a new level and give a stronger boost to the socioeconomic development of the two countries through space technologies,” Lin Jian said, according to a social media post by the Chinese embassy.
Lin told reporters on Monday exploring the universe had always been humanity’s shared aspiration.
“We are glad to see the signing of a space cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan,” he said. “We hope the Pakistani astronaut’s entry into the Chinese space station will be a full success.”
He added that since the launch of China’s manned space engineering program, Beijing had followed principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit and common development.
“We focus on sharing with all humanity the results of China’s development and offer opportunities of cooperation in China’s space station,” he said, noting Beijing was open to further collaboration with other countries.
Pakistan and China have deepened their space partnership in recent years, marked by joint satellite development and a planned lunar mission. In January, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for Pakistan’s first lunar rover to be included in China’s Chang’e 8 mission in 2028.
The rover, developed by SUPARCO, will land at the lunar south pole, carrying scientific instruments designed by Pakistani, Chinese and European scientists. Pakistani scientists will operate the rover from Earth, conducting surface mapping, soil analysis and radiation studies.
Pakistan previously participated in lunar exploration in 2024, when its first lunar satellite, ICUBE-Q, developed by students at the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in collaboration with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, was deployed aboard China’s Chang’e 6 mission to capture lunar images and collect magnetic field data.