Since the 1990s, a steady development of space activities was witnessed in the Asia-Pacific region. Some countries in this region have acquired strong capability in the field of space technology and its applications. Multilateral space cooperation not only enables the Asia-Pacific countries to benefit from each others’strengths, but also helps to address the technology and financial challenges to their space causes.

In such context, China, Pakistan and Thailand jointly proposed the initiative of the Asia-Pacific Multilateral Cooperation in Space Technology and Applications (AP-MCSTA) in 1992. The Workshop on AP-MCSTA was held in Beijing in November the same year, during which participants from 16 Asia-Pacific countries explored effective ways of carrying out regional space cooperation. The then Chinese President Jiang Zemin met the participants. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen attended and addressed the opening of the Workshop. The participating countries unanimously agreed on promoting the multilateral Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO)  cooperation in space technology and its applications in Asia-Pacific region, and establishing consequently the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO).