China has built and operated the Beidou Navigation Satellite System (北斗卫星导航系统) independently. On July 31, Beidou started providing global (全球的) services. It provides around the clock, all-weather and highly accurate positioning (精准定位), navigation, timing and messaging services to people around the world.

It is one of the four global navigation systems, along with US'GPS, Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo. Since 2, 000, 59 Beidou satellites have been launched. More than120 countries are using Beidou services.

The Beidou system has been used by:

6.6 million taxis, buses and trucks around China

more than 70,000 Chinese fishing boats

at least 50, 000 farm machines

more than 70 percent of Chinese mobile phones

300 general aviation aircraft(航空飞机)

51, 000 postal service vehicles(邮政服务车)

Beidou spirit (精神)

On July 31, President Xi Jinping called on Chinese people to carry on the spirit of the scientists who developed Beidou. They have been always carrying forward the Beidou spirit of the "independent innovations, unity and collaboration, overcoming difficulties, and the pursuit of excellence."