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4 clusters · 15 sources · 21 days · First seen · Last updated

China-Pakistan strategic cooperation expansion

Overview

China and Pakistan are expanding cooperation across multiple strategic sectors, including space exploration and military operations.

In late September 2026, the two nations advanced their space partnership through astronaut training in Beijing. Two Pakistani pilots, Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, underwent training involving Mandarin instruction and microgravity drills to potentially join missions on China’s Tiangong space station. This cooperation follows previous joint efforts in satellite launches and navigation systems.

By mid-October 2026, the partnership extended into military training with the launch of ‘Karakoram 2026’. This inaugural joint army exercise, held at a military training base in Korla within China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, focuses on high-altitude counter-terrorism operations. The drills involve joint command exercises and the use of various military assets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, Type 11 armoured assault vehicles, and Type 08 infantry fighting vehicles, to enhance interoperability between the two nations.

Regarding space exploration, a Pakistani astronaut is scheduled to board the Tiangong space station in the second half of 2026. This would mark the first time a foreign national joins the station. Following the Shenzhou-23 mission, the astronaut is expected to participate in the Shenzhou-24 mission as a payload expert to conduct scientific research projects for Pakistan.

On October 18, 2026, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal announced that Pakistan’s first astronaut will embark on a mission from a Chinese space center on November 25. This follows the Astronaut Cooperation Agreement signed in February 2025. Furthermore, the Pakistani government has established a long-term goal to achieve a lunar landing by 2035 through international cooperation and scientific research.

Entities

Muhammad Zeeshan Ali · Pakistan · China · Khurram Daud · SUPARCO

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    Pakistan announces first astronaut mission and 2035 moon goal

    Pakistan's first astronaut is scheduled to launch from a Chinese space center on November 25, as the nation sets a target for a lunar landing by 2035.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 5 sources
    Pakistan to send astronaut to China's Tiangong station in 2026

    A Pakistani astronaut is set to join China's Tiangong space station in 2026, marking a historic milestone in Sino-Pakistani space cooperation.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    China and Pakistan launch first joint army training exercise

    China and Pakistan have begun “Karakoram 2026”, their first joint army training exercise, focusing on high-altitude counter-terrorism and UAV operations in Xinjiang.

  4. [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    China and Pakistan advance space cooperation with astronaut training

    Two Pakistani pilots are training in China for a potential mission to the Tiangong space station, marking a milestone in space cooperation between the two nations.

Sources

agpgabon.ga · arabnews.pk · dailymeezan.com · dakar92.com · index.hr · nbcnews.na · pakistantimes.com · paktribune.com · premiumtimesng.com · primanews.org · srnnews.com · stratnewsglobal.com · thediplomaticinsight.com · thefrontierpost.com · theneutral.pk

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history