Every taikonaut (Chinese astronaut) has worked hard to achieve their dream of flying into space and help the country develop a strong aerospace industry. It's no exception for the female ones.

Liu Yang, China's first woman in space, was one of the three taikonauts on board China’s Shenzhou-9 spacecraft. 

CGTN: You have been warmly received by President Xi Jinping. As China's first female taikonaut, what do you think are the factors that made you who you are today?

Liu: I thanked President Xi Jinping for his praise and I said, "President, I am living in a good era." The President replied by saying, "Good, you should remember, the times make the heroes."

I think I am lucky that I really caught up with a good time and I am growing and progressing with the times. After the mission, many people asked me, "Did you dream of becoming a taikonaut when you were a child?" That wasn't the case. I said a dream is often the brand of the times.

The first time I sat on a bus with my mother, I thought becoming a bus conductor would be great, as I could ride the bus every day. As I grew up, I then wanted to become a lawyer, a doctor, a scientist, and I really didn't think I could be a taikonaut.

I joined the Air Force in 1997 and then was recruited into the second batch of taikonauts. Every growth and progress I made in my life was inseparable from the times.

CGTN: What difficulties have you and other taikonauts overcome?

Liu: The difficulty and intensity of the training is really a big test for us. Someone asked me, you have been on the taikonaut team for so long, if you look back, do you think the taikonaut's life is hard? I say yes, it's hard with lots of bitterness. But it has not deprived me of life's pleasures. I am still feeling happy and rewarded.

I think every taikonaut has the same feeling as I do. Everyone has done a lot and sacrificed a lot for this career.

I remember when Jing Haipeng (Liu's fellow taikonaut in the Shenzhou-9 mission) was preparing for the task. His mother was hospitalized with a serious illness. His brother said to him, "Don't worry, I will take care of our mother, you just focus on your cause." I felt very guilty that I had not been able to spend time with my family during intense training for the missions. My husband has been very supportive of me. I am very thankful to him.

CGTN: From your observations, how do foreign astronauts evaluate China's taikonauts and China's aerospace industry?

Liu: Our manned spaceflight has developed rapidly. Now wherever we go, we can stand up firmly with our head held high.

During a meeting held by the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2013, an elderly foreigner said to me that he came here today only wanting to pay respect to me. I don't think it was me that he was greeting. I think it was my strong nation he was greeting.

During the 19th CPC National Congress, President Xi Jinping said China has entered into a new era and our manned space program has entered into a new era. That's the era of building the space station.

Our taikonauts need to train harder to improve our physical and psychological capabilities and skills to meet the higher standards and requirements of future missions.