A Pakistani Astronaut will soon be among the international crew driving against China’s space station, according to China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), which marks a significant milestone in Sino-Pakistani space cooperation.

The selection process for Pakistani astronauts is currently underway following the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement in February.

CMSA spokesman Lin Xiqiang said the process involves three phases – preliminary selection in Pakistan and secondary and final stages in China. Ultimately, two astronauts are trained, with one elected to participate in a future aerospace as a payroll specialist.

The Pakistani Astronaut is responsible for both operational tasks and scientific experiments during the mission representing Pakistan aboard the Chinese space station Tiangong.

This message coincides with the preparations for the Shenzhou-20 mission, which is scheduled for launch at 1 p.m. 17.17 local time on Thursday. The mission will carry three Chinese astronauts-Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie-for a six-month stay aboard Tiangong.

Shenzhou-20 will perform space trials and extra hicculas as well as life science research involving zebrafish, planarians and streptomyces.

The outgoing Shenzhou-19 crew is scheduled to return to Earth on April 29, while the new crew is expected back in October.

China also trains its fourth batch of astronauts, including for the first time candidates from Hong Kong, Macau and Pakistan. Reports show that Hong Kong and Macau -astronauts can fly as early as 2026.

CMSA officials say that discussions are ongoing with other nations to participate in future space missions, reflecting China’s growing push for international cooperation in space.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is eager to improve cooperation with China in space technology, satellite communication and internet services.

The Prime Minister made the comments during a meeting with delegation from the Chinese space technology company Galaxy Space, led by President Xu Ming.

The prime minister described China as a “highly trusted friend” and “strategic partner”, adding that Pakistan places great emphasis on the growth of its space and telecommunications sectors.