Beijing: China on Wednesday announced that it has selected its first two international astronauts from Pakistan for its space mission training. The China Manned Space Agency revealed that Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have been chosen to undergo training for missions to China's space station.

According to Anadolu Agency, the selection process was carried out in early April. Both astronauts are set to travel to China soon, where they will begin their training as reserve astronauts. After completing all necessary training and evaluations, one of the Pakistani astronauts will join a space mission as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut to board China's space station, Tiangong.

The agreement for this collaboration was signed last year, which allows a Pakistani astronaut to become the first foreign national to visit Beijing's space station. This selection marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time China has chosen and will train a foreign astronaut.

China's space station, Tiangong, consists of three modules and was completed between 2021 and 2022. This development underscores China's growing collaboration with Pakistan in space exploration and further solidifies their bilateral relationship in scientific endeavors.