Space agency to pick those with the right stuff

China will begin its selection process this year for the next generation of astronauts who will train to work on the country's planned space station, a senior official said.

Yang Liwei, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency and the first Chinese astronaut in space, said the selection work will begin soon and that Chinese scientists and engineers will be eligible to apply.

"We plan to select suitable candidates from space industry companies, research entities and universities and train them into engineers and payload specialists capable of working on the space station," he said during an open day at Beijing's Astronaut Center of China.