Chen Zhongrui shares joys, sense of responsibility as Shenzhou-20 astronaut

Chen Zhongrui, a crew member of China's upcoming Shenzhou-20 spaceflight mission, on Wednesday shared the joy, pride and sense of responsibility he feels as he prepares to embark on his first mission as an astronaut.

Chen, a former air force pilot, was selected as one of the three members of the upcoming Shenzhou-20 mission, alongside two other Chinese astronauts including commander Chen Dong and Wang Jie.

The Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 17:17 Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Wednesday.

At a press briefing held at the launch center following the announcement, Chen Zhongrui expressed that he felt deeply honored to be part of the mission.

Chen is a member of the third batch of Chinese astronauts and a newcomer to space.

"I was once a fighter pilot, guarding the skies of our homeland, and I felt a deep sense of pride being involved in the development of China's aerospace industry. Sometimes, I would dream of flying even higher -- higher still -- breaking through the atmosphere to experience the vastness of space. When I heard about the astronaut selection, I signed up without any hesitation," he recalled, sharing his motivation to become an astronaut.

Chen expressed gratitude for the support from all sides and felt fortunate to connect his personal dream with the national goal in space exploration.

"In September 2020, 18 of us as the third batch had the honor of joining the astronaut team, embarking on a journey to serve our country and make our dreams of reaching the heavens a reality. Today, I'm about to fulfill my dream of flying into space. This is all thanks to the cultivation and training provided by organizations at all levels, the dedication of our instructors and researchers, the guidance and support from fellow astronauts, and, above all, the great new era we live in, which has provided us the platform to pursue and achieve our dreams. What I most want to express is that I feel fortunate to have been born in this new era, and I'm happy to be able to connect my personal dream with the Chinese Dream and the dream of space exploration," he said.

According to the CMSA, the Shenzhou-20 crew will remain on the space station for about six months, during which they will conduct space science and application experiments, perform extravehicular activities, conduct cargo loading and unloading, install space debris prevention devices, deploy and retrieve extravehicular payloads and equipment, and other tasks.

Chen shared that, although initially nervous and under pressure, the crew has now become well-integrated and works together under the commander's leadership. He also expressed his commitment to contributing to the space industry.

"To be honest, when we first started training together, we were a little nervous and under pressure, especially seeing the commander had already completed two spaceflight missions. But now, we've become so well integrated that we work as one, achieving a state of '1+1+1=1'. As members of the crew, under the commander's leadership, we will work together, be well adjusted, quickly adapt to the weightlessness of space, and approach every task with the mindset that every extra skill we acquire enhances our safety and every bit of knowledge we gain ensures greater reliability. We will humbly learn from the Shenzhou-19 crew, actively seek their guidance, and complete tasks such as space station extravehicular activities, daily operations and maintenance, equipment and material management, and space science experiments, so as to contribute to the advancement of our country's aerospace industry and technological strength!" he said.

The Shenzhou-19 crew is scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from the Tiangong space station on April 29, according to the CMSA.

Chen Zhongrui shares joys, sense of responsibility as Shenzhou-20 astronaut

Chen Zhongrui shares joys, sense of responsibility as Shenzhou-20 astronaut

Chen Zhongrui shares joys, sense of responsibility as Shenzhou-20 astronaut

U.S. tariffs on Cambodia, which were set at 49 percent, have sparked concerns among the Southeast Asian country's key export industries such as garment manufacturing amid the ensuing economic uncertainties.

On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the 49 percent "reciprocal tariff" on goods imported from Cambodia, the highest among all countries. Days later, the U.S. reduced the so-called "reciprocal tariff" to 10 percent for 90 days, offering a window period to Cambodia for negotiations with it.

Cambodian businesspeople say the tariffs have the potential to wreak havoc on the country's manufacturing sector, which, according to data from the World Bank, makes up around a fifth of the country's GDP.

"For U.S. manufacturers, definitely, there will be a big impact. If manufacturers are focusing on U.S. products, they are now in the middle. They don't know what they should do at the moment because the tariff now from Cambodia to the U.S. is actually quite high," said Dr. Ben Li, a Hong Kong investor in Cambodia and Chairman of the Cambodia Chinese Commerce Association.

Nevertheless, Li sees the tariff hike as an opportunity to export more Cambodian goods to the European Union, where a majority of Cambodian exports enjoy duty-free status.

"I always say there will be a light (at the end of the tunnel.) Even now, the U.S. tariff is so high, it's going to be so high after 90 days, we don't know. But, there's still a big market to Japan or to the European Union. There's still a big opportunity there," he said.

The Cambodian investor also believes the development of major infrastructure projects will help support Cambodia's economy.

"Especially the new canal and then the new airport, and the railways which connect to China. I believe once the logistics and infrastructure are built up, it can help the whole country's economy. By reducing the transportation costs, it can also mitigate the tariff costs," he said.

Cambodia and the U.S. held their first tariff negotiations on April 16, with more expected to follow. Local experts said the stakes are high for the country's workers.

"If this negotiation fails, there will be a significant impact. It will include the garment and travel goods sector. These sectors consist of about 1,068 factories and 930,000 workers. The income generated from these sectors is about 3 billion dollars per year. So it would significantly impact Cambodia's economy, jobs and incomes," said Chey Tech, a socio-economic research and development consultant from Dynamic Alliance Consulting.

Despite the potential risks, Tech expressed his optimism about a positive outcome, citing Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manat's letter to Trump on April 4.

"The Prime Minister's letter confirmed that Cambodia would reduce the tariff rate for U.S. goods to 5 percent. Second, Cambodia is the least developed country. Third, Cambodia produces goods that the developed countries won't produce. We asked whether the U.S. would be able to produce these low-cost products. It cannot," said Tech.

In 2024, Cambodia exported goods of 9.9 billion dollars to the U.S., making it the country's largest market, accounting for 37 percent of Cambodia's total exports.

49-percent US tariffs sparks worry among Cambodia's key export industries