China and Pakistan signed a cooperation agreement on manned space missions, marking the cooperation between the two countries in space exploration entering a new phase, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Sunday.

Microalgae culturing room in Langfang, Hebei province. (File photo: Xinhua)

CNSA Director Hao Chun and Chairman of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO,) Amer Nadeem, signed the agreement Saturday in Beijing, according to a statement on the CNSA WeChat account.

The space agreement will serve as a high-level foundation for cooperation from both sides in space science and exploration.

Both nations will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation, said the CNSA statement.

CNSA and SUPARCO will establish a China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officials from both sides to address future collaborative issues.

Last year, China sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit, blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China.

The PRSS-1, Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite, and the PakTES-1A, a smaller observation craft, were both lifted into space by China's Long March-2C carrier rocket.