China hosts summit to boost homegrown BeiDou navigation system applications

The 3rd International Summit on BDS (BeiDou Navigation Satellite System) applications opened Thursday in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, as authorities aim to boost the industry by expanding applications and strengthening international cooperation.

The two-day summit attracted more than 1,800 Chinese and international researchers, entrepreneurs and officials. Exhibitors also set up booths to showcase BDS applications across various sectors, including smart logistics and intelligent transportation.

"BDS applications are rapidly expanding across key sectors of China's national economy, with coverage rates surpassing 90 percent in areas such as transportation, energy, natural resources and emergency response," said Xiang Libin, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission and an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A bluebook on the development of the BeiDou industry was also released during the opening ceremony.

"BDS services and related products have been exported to more than 130 countries, providing users with diversified choices and better application experience and promoting industrial development," the document stated.

The Chinese-made BDS was initiated in 1994. The construction of BDS-1 and BDS-2 was completed in 2000 and 2012, respectively. When BDS-3 was completed and put into service on July 31, 2020, China became the third country to have an independent global navigation satellite system.

According to the White Paper on the Development of China's Satellite Navigation and Location Services Industry (2024), the total output value of China's satellite navigation and location services industry reached 536.2 billion yuan (about $75.2 billion) in 2023, an increase of 7.09 percent over the previous year.