Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo are seen during training on April 22, 2021. (Photo/Xinhua)

Beijing - Ten candidates, including eight space pilots and two payload specialists, have been selected for China's fourth batch of astronauts, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Tuesday.

Of the two payload specialists, one is from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the other is from the Macao Special Administrative Region, said the CMSA. It added this is first time it has selected payload specialists in Hong Kong and Macao, a move which has garnered strong support and enthusiastic participation from local communities.

These candidates will undergo comprehensive and systematic training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

The selection of the fourth batch of Chinese astronaut candidates began in the second half of 2022.

China selected 14 astronauts from air force pilots in 1998 and an additional seven in 2010. In 2020, it completed the selection of the third batch of 18 astronauts, which included space pilots, flight engineers and payload specialists.

The CMSA said that China's astronaut selection and training system has become more sophisticated and well-established. As international cooperation in crewed space exploration deepens, foreign astronauts will be invited to participate in the selection and training process, and subsequently carry out missions in China's space station.