Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China - April 23, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of press conference in progress; reporters
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lin Xiqiang, spokesman, China Manned Space Agency (ending with shot 3):
"Since they joined the team in August 2024, the fourth batch of astronauts has undertaken the studies of basic space theory, multiple trainings on psychology and adaptability to space environment and some specialized trainings following the plan."
3. Various of press conference in progress; reporters
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lin Xiqiang, spokesman, China Manned Space Agency (starting with shot 3):
"We are carrying out the training on the fourth batch of astronauts in an orderly and organized way as planned. After qualifying for spaceflight, they will be included in the candidate crew. We believe that they will be seen in future flight crews successively soon."
5. Various of reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lin Xiqiang, spokesman, China Manned Space Agency (starting with shot 5/partially overlaid with shot 7):
"After they joined the team, astronauts from Hong Kong and Macao quickly adapted themselves to the working and living environment and swiftly got integrated into the astronaut crew. They have worked very hard in trainings with all the work progressing smoothly. They are currently engaged in studies and trainings on professional space technologies. As payload experts, the Hong Kong and Macao astronauts are expected to carry out their first flight mission in 2026 at the earliest."
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7. Reporters
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8. Various of reporters

China's fourth batch of astronauts is currently undergoing training as planned and could join the candidate crew in the future, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Wednesday.

"Since they joined the team in August 2024, the fourth batch of astronauts has undertaken the studies of basic space theory, multiple trainings on psychology and adaptability to space environment and some specialized trainings following the plan," CMSA spokesman Lin Xiqiang said at a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, ahead of the launch of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft scheduled for Thursday.

"We are carrying out the training on the fourth batch of astronauts in an orderly and organized way as planned. After qualifying for spaceflight, they will be included in the candidate crew. We believe that they will be seen in future flight crews successively soon," Lin said.

"After they joined the team, astronauts from Hong Kong and Macao quickly adapted themselves to the working and living environment and swiftly got integrated into the astronaut crew. They have worked very hard in trainings with all the work progressing smoothly. They are currently engaged in studies and trainings on professional space technologies. As payload experts, the Hong Kong and Macao astronauts are expected to carry out their first flight mission in 2026 at the earliest," he said.

China's Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 17:17 Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country's northwest, the CMSA announced on Wednesday.