A US law bars China from the International Space Station. But with a new Chinese space station in the works, Beijing is opening its arms to members of the United Nations who want to conduct out-of-this-world experiments of their own. CGTN's Mariam Zaidi has the story.

Space diplomacy was front and center at an event in Vienna.

China's Manned Space Agency and the U.N. agency for Outer Space Affairs want to enhance research and cooperation for peaceful space exploration.

In 2016, they signed an agreement allowing both UN Member States and developing countries to conduct space experiments on board China's new space station that's set to be launched into orbit in 2022.

SHI ZHONGJUN PERMANENT CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UN "We encourage the developing countries to participate in the cooperation and the utilization of the Chinese space station. I believe that China will never stop exploring the unknown world. We are actively planning manned deep space exploration."

This will be China's third generation Chinese Space Station. It's being designed to support a three-man crew to live and work on-board continuously. It'll be used to gather scientific research to help better understand space and explore the possibility of living in space.

SIMONETTA DI PIPPO DIRECTOR, UN OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS "I believe that it's a question of focusing on the exploration of the solar system and being able to send humans beyond earth limits. It will happen. If we are able to change the perception that space is something far away that is not part of our life if we are able to do that, I believe that the next step in the space era will be for all of us to go and spend time and learn how to live in micro-gravity."

MARIAM ZAIDI VIENNA "So if you're harboring ambitions to live in space or to perhaps go there for your summer holidays, you may yet, have some time to wait. But as countries and even the private sector look to ramp up efforts in space exploration, it may JUST take us to infinity and beyond watch this space! Mariam Zaidi, CGTN, Vienna."