Oceanauts recruited to operate deep-sea submersibles will soon receive training fit for astronauts as China pushes its dual ambitions to reach farther into space and deeper under the sea.

The National Deep Sea Center and the Astronaut Center of China signed an agreement on Thursday to cooperate in training personnel and researching science and technology projects.

"Operators in manned deep-sea diving and manned space flights endure highly similar pressures and risks, and the cooperation will crucially affect personnel selection, training and project research in extreme environments," said Yang Liwei, vice-director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office and who is also the country's first astronaut.