More than 100 Brunei college students were inspired and motivated, by talking with three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, via video link, yesterday.

During the talk, with students of Brunei and other Southeast Asian countries, the three taikonauts, Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe, who are on a six-month mission in orbit, shared with youth from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), their life and scientific work in the Tiangong space station.

The main venue of the event, titled “ASEAN Students ‘Talk with Taikonauts’” was Beijing, while students from ASEAN countries joined the dialogue at sub-venues.

Yu Hong, Chinese ambassador to Brunei, said, China’s dream to explore the cosmos has never been an isolated one.

“We hope that the realisation of this dream will continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and make greater contributions to the development of human civilisation,” she said at the event, held at the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE), Aviation School.

During a question and answer session, Muhammad Abdul Hanan Husain bin Soekarddy, an IBTE student, representing ASEAN youth, raised the first question to the taikonauts, about challenges they are facing when working and living in outer space.

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity to ask questions to the three taikonauts in the Tiangong space station,” he told Xinhua.

“I am currently studying aircraft maintenance engineering at school. The experience of talking directly to the Chinese astronauts is precious to me, which prompts me to consider to further my study on aviation abroad, in the future,” he added.

Nur Izzah Atikah Hj Ismail, a Universiti Brunei Darussalam student, studying mechanical engineering, told Xinhua that, the dialogue made her more interested in outer space, hoping to learn more about China’s space exploration efforts.

“We welcome foreign counterparts to enter into China’s space station, and countries across the world to participate in science experiments in the space station,” Yu Hong told Xinhua.

“China is willing to work with all countries committed to the peaceful use of outer space, including Brunei and other ASEAN countries, to carry out more international cooperation and exchanges,” the ambassador added.–

Source: NAM News Network