China's space diplomacy: The first Pakistani astronaut will be launched to the "Tiangong" space station

China is set to launch a Pakistani astronaut to its "Tiangong" space station this autumn — the first time a foreign astronaut will stay there. Two Pakistani candidates, Zishan Ali and Khurram Dawood, are completing training in Beijing; the decision will be made in October. The selected astronaut will stay for about a week and conduct four biotechnological experiments.

China is expected to launch a Pakistani astronaut to its "Tiangong" space station this autumn, according to Reuters. The launch will be a historic moment — the first time a Pakistani astronaut reaches space, and the first foreign astronaut to stay on China's space station. Two Pakistani pilots, Zishan Ali and Khurram Dawood, are currently completing grueling training at the Beijing training center, including G-force exercises, adaptation to weightlessness, and intensive Mandarin lessons. The final decision on which pilot will launch for the mission is expected in October. The selected astronaut will stay on the station for about a week and serve as a "payload specialist," tasked with conducting four biotechnological experiments in the fields of food security and the climate crisis. The two candidates beat out about 20 finalists selected from an initial pool of Pakistani pilots and scientists. The mission is part of the expanding strategic cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad, which also includes a plan to send a Pakistani robotic space vehicle to the moon aboard the Chinese Chang'e 8 probe in 2028. Amer Gilani, the supervisor of cooperation at the Pakistani space agency, said there is no official commitment to send an astronaut to the moon under that partnership.