Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Chinese astronaut Cai Xuzhe, commander of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, has come out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 spaceship which landed back on the Earth earlier Wednesday.

Cai was the first of the three-member Shenzhou-19 crew to get out of the capsule after it touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 13:08 (Beijing Time) on Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Upon the landing, Cai and the two other crew members reported their good conditions to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center.

"In space, we gazed at the beautiful blue planet countless times. This is the common home for humanity and needs to be protected by all of us together. Especially, the vibrant red outside the space station's cabin wall, the brightest color in space, filled me with pride for our great motherland. On this mission, I led two people born in the 1990s. With the crew united as one and the assistance of the ground staff, we successfully completed the task entrusted by our country and the people. In the future, we will continue to maintain a diligent attitude, scripting new chapters for China's space industry in the new era," Cai said in an interview with China Central Television shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.

The spaceship separated from the Tiangong space station combination at 04:00 (Beijing Time) on Wednesday, according to the CMSA.

The Shenzhou-19 crew was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct 30, 2024. Prior to the return, the crew completed all planned tasks and handed over the space station to the Shenzhou-20 astronauts who got on board on April 25.

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Cai Xuzhe comes out of return capsule

President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.

"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.

"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.

ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit