Representatives From 50 African Countries Take Part in Inaugural China-Africa Beidou Forum

Officials from the China Satellite Navigation Committee in Beijing who took part in the first-ever China-Africa Beidou System Cooperation Forum on Friday. Image via China Daily.

More than 600 representatives from almost every African country, including eight ministers and eight ambassadors, attended the first-ever China-Africa Beidou System Cooperation Forum that took place on Friday in Beijing and also online with stakeholders in Africa. 

The Beidou Navigation Satellite System is China’s answer to the U.S.’ GPS and the EU’s Galileo space-based navigation systems but only that Beidou today is much larger than either of the Western alternatives. The Chinese nav system provides more coverage of 85% of the capitals in 195 countries around the world compared to GPS, according to research done by Nikkei Asia.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Thailand in Last-Minute U.S. Talks as 36% Tariff Looms

You Might Like

Chinese Embassy Denounces U.S. General’s Remarks on Chinese Space Exploration Station in Argentina

The Chinese Embassy in Argentina strongly condemned a U.S. general’s remarks on a Chinese space exploration station in the country. Following Javier Milei’s election as president of Argentina in December, the Chinese-built space ...

CNN Ran a Story on Big Tech Expanding in Africa That Didn’t Mention a Single Chinese or European Company

CNN International broadcast a report over the weekend purportedly about “how big tech is expanding in Africa” yet the story only mentioned five major U.S. tech companies and not one from either Europe ...

Chinese Astronauts Reach Out to African Kids

Three Chinese astronauts are holding a live chat with African youth directly from China’s orbiting space station today. The live Q&A session, scheduled for 11:00 GMT, is arguably a powerful soft power play ...

Thousands of Young People Gather Across Africa to Speak With Astronauts Aboard the Chinese Space Station

Chinese embassies in Africa organized the first-ever #ChinaAfricaSpaceTalk on Tuesday that connected young people across the continent with three astronauts aboard the Chinese Space Station. The event, organized in conjunction with ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP