A Pakistani astronaut has been confirmed by Reuters as the first foreign member of China’s crew on the Shenzhou‑24 mission to the space station, an action that highlights bilateral ties under the Belt and Road Initiative. The unnamed astronaut is set to serve as a payload specialist and is slated for a short‑term in‑orbit flight, with a return to Earth aboard Shenzhou‑23.
Reuters also reported that China has not yet announced the launch date. It noted that pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have spent months training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing for the mission, according to a Pakistani space agency official cited in September.
The mission will represent the first joint spaceflight involving both Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China’s manned space program, an achievement described by Chinese state media and broadcast networks such as CCTV.
