China has developed the system over the past 10 years. Its first phase was formally completed in 2003. The three satellites operated satisfactorily. The last satellite for the second phase was launched on October 25 this year to complete a regional network of 16 satellites, in which 14 are providing services in their orbits. The whole system is operating smoothly and is able to provide formal services for the entire Asian-Pacific region.
The third phase, Beidou Global Navigation System will be completed by 2020.
According to estimates, the system is generating 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) revenue now. It is expected that its revenue will rise to 150 billion yuan ($24 billion) and 400 billion yuan ($64 billion) respectively by 2015 and 2020.
Major Chinese producers of the chips have made a breakthrough in the technology related to the chips. They have entered the second and even the third stage of development, and their products are equivalent in technology and functions to those of major companies abroad such as SiRF and uBlox.
Yang said that so far the chips produced by China were expensive and had to be improved through extensive use. He expects that by 2015, China will have its own intellectual property for the chips and the functions of its chips will meet international technical standards then.
He said that Beidou faces cruel international struggle for resources, position and market. There are a limited number of frequencies for navigation systems and the best of them have been taken by the US and Russia. China and Europe who began development of their systems later, have difficulties due to the limited number of channels. The have to conduct negotiation and discussion and do a lot of work to get more and better channels.
Yang also mentioned the possibility of cooperation with the US and Russian systems, but stressed that China had never wavered, and would persist in developing its system independently.
He said that Pakistan and Indonesia are much interested in the Beidou System while Laos, Myanmar, Mongolia and some other countries are also interested. Work is being done to provide the services of the Beidou System abroad.
Source: www.huanqiu.com