In a related initiative, China has allowed foreign scientists access to lunar samples returned by the Chang'e 5 mission, signing agreements with seven institutions from six countries.

The institutions granted access to these lunar samples include notable universities and organizations from France, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, the UK, and the USA.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is actively promoting international collaboration in lunar exploration, as emphasized by Administrator Shan Zhongde.

In line with this initiative, China has selected 10 international payloads for its upcoming Chang'e 8 lunar mission, which aims to foster global cooperation in space science.

Scheduled to launch around 2029, the Chang'e 8 mission will target the Leibniz-Beta Plateau near the moon's south pole, following the Chang'e 7 mission.

CNSA previously opened 200 kilograms of payload space to foreign researchers in late 2023, receiving 41 proposals and ultimately approving 10 experiments based on scientific and technical criteria.

These approved experiments involve contributions from 11 nations and regions, including a multifunctional robot from Hong Kong universities and a smart lunar rover from Middle East Technical University in Turkiye.

CNSA began accepting international requests for Chang'e 5 lunar samples in November 2023, receiving 24 applications for 71 sample sets, which were evaluated under specific guidelines.

Shan Zhongde reaffirmed that the lunar samples are a shared treasure for humanity, highlighting China's commitment to peaceful and cooperative space exploration.

The Chang'e 5 mission, launched in November 2020, was China's most advanced lunar mission, successfully returning 1,731 grams of lunar material to Earth on December 17, 2020.