Pakistani astronaut to board Chinese rocket in race with India

Beijing's help will contribute to the nation's defense, science minister says

20190729 CHINA rocket Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gives a speech by video link at the opening ceremony of the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 26. In the foreground are models of China's Long March rockets. © Reuters

FARHAN BOKHARI, Contributing writer

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has given the go-ahead for the country to send its first astronaut into space on board a Chinese spacecraft, the country's minister for science has told the Nikkei Asian Review.

"We have had ongoing cooperation with China for years in this area. Now we have set ourselves a target of sending Pakistan's first astronaut to space in 2022," said Fawad Chaudhary.

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