China Pledges to Accelerate Global Deployment of BeiDou, Its Domestic GPS Alternative

China is promising to speed up the international expansion of its self-developed satellite navigation system, BeiDou, which already dominates the domestic market. The push is part of Beijing’s effort to rival the U.S.-operated GPS system globally.

At a summit in central China, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized that after more than three decades of development, the country is now broadening its “circle of international friends.” Domestically, BeiDou commands over 70 percent of the consumer market share. 

During the Fourth International Summit on BeiDou System Applications, held in Hunan province, a new industry report by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) projected that by 2028, there will be more than 400 million devices and terminals compatible with BeiDou within China. 

BeiDou’s development traces back to the launch of its earliest satellites in 1994. The system entered a new phase in 2020 with the deployment of its third-generation satellites. According to Ding, recent advances have boosted its performance and application scale, positioning it as an essential infrastructure for users worldwide. 

Named after the seven bright stars from ancient Chinese navigation lore, BeiDou has already been embedded in smart phones, wearables, shared mobility platforms, and other consumer sectors throughout China.