A senior Chinese space official and former astronaut, Wang Yaping, told the national advisory body that trainees from Hong Kong and Macau are in intensive preparation and could be assigned to missions aboard China’s space station as early as this year. She also said that selection and training of foreign astronauts is progressing steadily and that international partners will eventually fly alongside Chinese crew on Tiangong.
Wang Yaping’s remarks, carried by state outlets, are notable because she is both a high-profile space veteran and a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. The statement functions as an official signal from Beijing that the inclusion of Special Administrative Region (SAR) residents in flagship national programmes is moving from intent toward implementation.
Technically, China has a functioning modular space station in low Earth orbit and a regular cadence of crewed missions and rotation training. The capacity to host visiting crew — whether from Hong Kong, Macau or overseas partners — has been a stated goal of Chinese mission planners, and ongoing astronaut selection and training cycles suggest the programme is preparing to broaden participation beyond its core corps.
The decision to highlight Hong Kong and Macau candidates carries obvious political symbolism. Offering high‑visibility roles in a patriotic, high‑technology endeavour reinforces Beijing’s narrative of national integration and shared benefit, and it is likely to be presented domestically as evidence that residents of the SARs can participate directly in China’s achievements.
There is also a diplomatic and commercial dimension. With the International Space Station approaching retirement and international demand for low‑Earth‑orbit access growing, China’s Tiangong could become a more attractive platform for countries and commercial customers excluded from or moving beyond the ISS era. Announcing steady progress on foreign-astronaut training positions China as an alternative venue for human spaceflight cooperation.
Operational and political risks remain. Crew selection, medical and citizenship eligibility, and mission manifesting all take time, and technical or scheduling setbacks could delay flights. Equally, public reaction in Hong Kong and Macau may be mixed, given local politics and differing views on integration with the mainland. Observers should watch for the naming of candidates, concrete mission assignments, and any bilateral announcements that would turn signalling into flights.