Two Pakistani astronaut candidates have been selected, and one of them will likely become the first foreign national to fly onboard China's Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The agency said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have passed multiple rounds of selection procedures and will soon come to China to take part in spaceflight training.

"Upon completing all training courses and passing relevant assessments, one of them will be selected for a mission crew as a payload specialist to participate in a spaceflight, becoming the first foreign astronaut to visit the Chinese space station," the statement said.

If realized, it would mark the first time a Pakistani national has reached Earth's orbit.

According to the agency, the selection and training of Pakistani astronauts is a landmark event in the history of China's space industry.

"It stands as an iconic achievement of international cooperation on the Chinese space station, and also a successful example of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership taking concrete shape in the space sector," the statement said. "This fully demonstrates the open attitude of the Chinese government to share the accomplishments of its space industry with the international community."

The statement added that the peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of humanity has always been a core mission of China's space programs.

"China's manned space program will always keep its doors wide open, welcoming all countries to actively participate in cooperation in fields such as scientific experiments and technological tests on the Tiangong space station, as well as astronaut selection and training," it said. "Together, we will expand humanity's understanding of the universe and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind."

In February 2025, the China Manned Space Agency and Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission signed an agreement in Islamabad to open bilateral cooperation on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts.