What are astronauts also called in China?

A person who travels in space for the Chinese space program; a Chinese astronaut is also known as a Taikonaut.

The space program of the People's Republic of China is directed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Its technological roots can be traced back to the late 1950s, when China began a ballistic missile program in response to perceived American (and, later, Soviet) threats. However, the first Chinese crewed space program only began several decades later, when an accelerated program of technological development culminated in Yang Liwei's successful 2003 flight aboard Shenzhou 5.

This achievement made China the third country to independently send humans into space. Plans currently include a permanent Chinese space station in 2020 and crewed expeditions to the Moon.

Officials have articulated long term ambitions to exploit Earth-Moon space for industrial development.