China Focus: China selects female astronaut candidates

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The preliminary selection for candidates of China's second batch of astronauts has finished, with candidates including 30 men and 15 women who are all airforce pilots, authorities said Thursday.

Among them, five men and two women would be final candidates to join the space program. And "it is the first time women have been up for selection in China's space development cause," authorities said.

The 45 candidates, between the ages of 27 and 34, will undergo further tests, including physiological and psychological checks, an air force official said.

He said the male candidates are all fighter plane pilots and the female candidates are aero-transport pilots. All serve in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and at least hold a college degree.

Many of them have conducted important flight missions such as rescue tasks for the massive Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008 in southwestern Sichuan Province, and various military drills.

The authorities said they "all master excellent flight skills and boast great psychological quality."

The preliminary selection, conducted by the PLA Air Force, started in May. Applicants had undergone medical and psychologicalexaminations as well as checks on family background and other "comprehensive assessments".