# Astronaut Center

China Signals Push for Long‑Duration Off‑Earth Habitats as Astronauts Plan a Ground Research Facility

Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping told a CPPCC panel that the China Astronaut Research and Training Center is applying to build a ground‑based research facility to study long‑term survival off Earth. The move signals Beijing’s transition from near‑Earth operations toward preparations for sustained human presence on the Moon or beyond, with implications for technology, competition and potential international cooperation.