China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its manned space programme, marking a major milestone in bilateral cooperation, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday.
The selected candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, will travel to China for training, where one of them is expected to participate in a future space mission as a payload specialist. This would make them the first foreign astronaut to visit China’s Tiangong space station.
According to Chinese authorities, the selection followed a rigorous, multi-stage process. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) described the development as a landmark moment in the history of its space programme.
The initiative stems from a cooperation agreement signed in February 2025 between Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and CMSA. Under this agreement, two Pakistani astronauts were to undergo training in China, with one eventually joining a mission aboard the Tiangong station.
Earlier this year, the Astronauts Centre of China shortlisted the candidates as part of Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Programme.
China has been expanding its independent space efforts and international partnerships, particularly after being excluded from the International Space Station programme in 2011 due to US restrictions on collaboration with Chinese space agencies.
