Pakistani Astronaut to Fly on Shenzhou-24 in First Foreign Visit to China's Space Station
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed at a regular press conference on November 9, in response to a Xinhua question, that a Pakistani astronaut will take part in the Shenzhou-24 crewed mission as a payload specialist and, after a short stay in orbit, will return aboard the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft.
Guo said that exploring the vast universe and using outer space peacefully is a shared aspiration of humanity and bears on the common well-being of all humankind. China has consistently advocated the peaceful use of outer space, actively pursued international space cooperation, and promoted the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in outer space.
Guo said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. The Pakistani astronaut's participation will mark the first joint flight of Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China's crewed space program, and the first visit by a foreign astronaut to China's space station.
Guo said this is another important outcome of bilateral cooperation in the year marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. China stands ready to carry forward its traditional friendship with Pakistan, deepen cooperation in space and across other fields, and take bilateral relations to new heights.
(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：中国空间站后向视角，画面中由左至右为梦天实验舱、天和核心舱、问天实验舱，下方径向对接口对接着一艘神舟飞船（资料图）。照片：中国载人航天工程办公室，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Rear view of China's space station, with the Mengtian lab module, Tianhe core module and Wentian lab module from left to right and a Shenzhou spacecraft docked at the nadir port (file photo). Photo by the China Manned Space Engineering Office, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
