ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has signed an important agreement with China on jointspace exploration including manned missions, state media reported late onMonday, adding that the agreement marks a new phase of cooperation betweenthe two “all weather” allies.
The agreement between China and Pakistan was signed in Beijing over theweekend, according to a brief statement released by the China NationalSpace Administration (CNSA) and quoted by the nationalistic tabloid, GlobalTimes.
It was signed during the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan who was inBeijing for the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
“The two countries signed the agreement Saturday in Beijing, marking thatcooperation between the two neighbors in space exploration has entered anew phase,” the CNSA statement added.
The official statement did not share details about the agreement but addedthat Beijing will help develop Islamabad’s space technology.
“The agreement will serve as a high-level foundation for cooperation inspace science and exploration. Both nations will conduct scientific andtechnological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned spaceapplications and achievement transformation,” said the CNSA statement.
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“The CNSA and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commissionwill establish a China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officialsfrom both sides to address future collaborative issues,” it added.
The news report said that China sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit in2018.
“The PRSS-1, Pakistan’s first optical remote sensing satellite, and thePakTES-1A, a smaller observation craft were both lifted into space byChina’s Long March-2C carrier rocket,” the report added.
