[CMSE News, November 7]  The 25th Association of Space Explorers (ASE) Planetary Congress was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from November 5 to 6, 2012, in association with the Saudi 2nd International Space and Aeronautics Technology Conference. A delegation led by Mr. Yang Liwei, deputy director of China Manned Space Engineering Office（CMSEO）attended the conference. 

Figure: CMSEO’s delegation at the ASE Planetary Congress

On November 6, Mr. Yang Liwei made a report about China’s Manned Space Rendezvous & Docking Mission and the Shenzhou 9 spaceship’s mission at the conference. His speech impressed the audience deeply. Over 100 astronauts from the world presented the events.

Figure: Mr. Yang Liwei delivered a report at the Congress

During the conference, Chinese astronauts, Mr. Yang Liwei and Mr. Jing Haipeng, held talks with American astronaut, Mr. Andy, the  secretary of ASE, and Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who is also the only astronaut in Saudi Arabia by now. Wide topics such as space exploration, the trend of manned space technology development and the future international cooperation are exchanged in their meeting.
During their stay in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Yang Liwei and Mr. Jing Haipeng also visited Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and introduced the plan and the development of China’s manned space engineering mission to the staff of the embassy and other Chinese working in Saudi Arabia.

Figure: Chinese astronauts Mr. Yang Liwei and Mr. Jing Haipeng in Chinese Embassy to Saudi Arabia 

Association of Space Explorers (ASE) was founded in 1985 as an international non-government organization to provide a professional dialogue forum for the global astronauts who have flown in space. Since 2009, astronauts from China have consecutively attended the annual conference four times.