A Pakistani astronaut will become the first foreign national aboard China’s Tiangong space station, as Beijing steps up space diplomacy amid a burgeoning battle with the United States for supremacy in orbit.

China launched the Shenzhou-20 spaceship carrying three astronauts to its Tiangong space station, marking the 35th mission of its manned space program. The crew will conduct life science experiments,

China has launched three astronauts into space to replace the crew on the Chinese Tiangong space station, marking a further step in the country's ambitions for a crewed mission to the Moon and explore Mars.