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SCIO press conference on white paper 'China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in the New Era'

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Hong Kong Economic Herald:

We have learned that in the future, in terms of internationalization, BDS will continue to go global, and provide more products and services for overseas markets under the Belt and Road Initiative. Can you give a detailed introduction to the achievements of international cooperation regarding BDS? What are the plans for the next step? Thank you.

Ran Chengqi:

BDS development has been designed in such a way to ensure integration of construction, application and international cooperation since the very beginning. We always prioritize BDS going global and providing services worldwide, and pursue openness and cooperation for its development. We have advanced international cooperation concerning BDS-1, BDS-2, and BDS-3. We fully participate in international satellite navigation affairs. There are several aspects.

First, we have participated in the activities of the United Nations' International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems, or ICG. As an original member, China has made its contributions to the ICG in a timely fashion, which were highly appraised by the UN and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). China's BDS is a responsible system that leads the development of global satellite navigation systems. We have participated in previous satellite navigation work conferences and actively assumed responsibilities for BDS' part in relevant activities of UNOOSA. We have undertaken research on related topics, and participated in the forums of international organizations, in order to promote BDS to provide better services for all mankind. Among them is an organization for the application of satellite navigation systems for developing nations. China has also publicly advocated for it and offered help.

Second, we have actively conducted bilateral talks on cooperation. Above all, we have established specialized cooperation channels with major global navigation systems, such as the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia's GLONASS system, and Europe's Galileo system, and achieved sound progress. We have jointly promoted the application of global satellite navigation. We have signed the joint statements on compatibility and interoperability with the GPS system and the GLONASS system, and conducted frequency coordination with the Galileo system. In addition, we have conducted application cooperation with countries along the Belt & Road, including both bilateral cooperation and multilateral cooperation. For example, we have participated in and successfully held three sessions of China-Arab States BDS Cooperation Forum, two sessions of China-Central Asia BDS Cooperation Forum, and the First China-Africa BDS Cooperation Forum. We have jointly promoted the application of satellite navigation and BDS by issuing forum statements, action plans, and application scenarios. We have established close ties with countries in Central Asia and Africa, and regional organizations such as the League of Arab States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and conducted in-depth cooperation in testing and evaluation, joint application, education and training, and technical cooperation. It's fair to say that the application of BDS has attracted massive attention and expectations from the world. A Chinese delegation recently attended the meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems, which was held in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and has received proposals from many countries and organizations for enhanced cooperation with BDS. They praised BDS as a useful system. We are particularly delighted to promote systems, products, applications, and concepts from China to the world.

Third, we have vigorously participated in multilateral organizations, including both international organizations and standard organizations, and accelerated the application of BDS in the fields of civil aviation, maritime, mobile communication, and international search and rescue. China's BDS has passed all 189 satellite navigation standards listed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We will fully join ICAO and further promote the application of BDS in the field of international civil aviation under the framework of ICAO. Since BDS-1, we have promoted ratification of BDS by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Therefore, most smartphones we use today are equipped with BDS. We joined the International Maritime Organization in 2014 and other international search and rescue organizations. In light of the special contributions of BDS short message communication service, we have put forward new suggestions to international search and rescue organizations. When people encounter dangers at sea, they can apply for help to the search and rescue organizations. But the previous international rescue signal was one-way, so it was unknown to the caller whether the distress signal was received by search and rescue organizations. BDS ingeniously developed two-way signals to notify the caller that the distress signal has gotten a response, which would be a tremendous mental support for the caller. That is a great contribution from BDS to the international search and rescue efforts. Those BDS applications have been widely recognized among the public. Additionally, after the application of many products and technologies, as part of our efforts to help people to better understand BDS, we have promoted exchange activities, inviting foreign students to come to China to learn and receive training about our technologies and products so as to make people have a better understanding of China's BDS and its applications. Thank you.