Xi, Lee pose for photos ahead of Session I of 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed by President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea (ROK) ahead of the first session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting on Friday.

The two leaders shook hands and posed for photos before the meeting started.

The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is underway in Gyeongju, a southeastern city of the ROK, from Friday to Saturday.

Xi is scheduled to attend the meeting and pay a state visit to the ROK from Thursday to Saturday at the invitation of Lee.

Xi, Lee pose for photos ahead of Session I of 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting

Xi, Lee pose for photos ahead of Session I of 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting

Xi, Lee pose for photos ahead of Session I of 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting

Xi, Lee pose for photos ahead of Session I of 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting

The three astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceflight mission have boarded the spacecraft for a flight to China’s Tiangong space station.

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship is scheduled to blast off at 23:08 Beijing Time (15:08 GMT) from northwest China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

The three Chinese astronauts, commander Zhu Yangzhu, spacecraft pilot Zhang Zhiyuan and payload specialist Lai Ka-ying, climbed aboard the spaceship with the help of technicians.

Following the launch, the astronauts will complete an in-orbit rotation with the outgoing Shenzhou-21 crew, and one of them will conduct a one-year in-orbit stay, double the usual duration of previous Shenzhou missions.

Notably, astronaut Lai Ka-ying is also the first astronaut from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Shenzhou-23 marks the 40th flight of China's manned spaceflight program, and the seventh manned flight mission since the Tiangong space station entered its application and development phase in late 2022.

Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch

Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch

Shenzhou-23 astronauts board spaceship ahead of launch