Pakistan's national flag returns from space journey

The flag was sent aboard the Long March-2F carrier rocket on June 17, 2021

BEIJING:

Pakistan's national flag - taken earlier to the Chinese space station - was handed over to the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing at a special hatch-opening ceremony held at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) on Tuesday.

The national flags of Pakistan and China were sent by China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) to space to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The flags were sent aboard the Long March-2F carrier rocket on June 17, 2021, and returned via Shenzhou-12, China’s manned spacecraft after staying in space for three months.

The Shenzhou-12 space mission carried three Chinese astronauts to space for building the Tiangong, a Chinese space station, which is expected to be completed next year.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque. PHOTO: APP

The event was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque, Secretary of the China Academy of Space Technology Zhao Xiaojin and other leading scientists and experts.

Speaking on the occasion, Haque congratulated CMSA, CAST and other Chinese research institutions for the successful manned space mission.

"The space journey of national flags of the two countries was a special demonstration of unique friendship between Pakistan and China and a befitting way to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties," he said.

The two sides are engaged in regular technology transfer and exchange of experts and delegations for deepening their cooperation in the field of space exploration and discovery, the envoy added.

He also expressed confidence that China and Pakistan would further build on their cooperation in space exploration in future for joint benefit and experience sharing.

In addition to the national flags, experimental items for scientific purposes as well as crop seeds were also carried on board the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft.