China's version of GPS now has more satellites than US original

Growing global coverage of BeiDou positioning system raises security fears

20190808 satellite

A model of the BeiDou navigation satellite system is displayed at an exhibition in China's southern Hunan Province in April.  © Reuters

KAZUHIRO KIDA, SHINICHI HASHIMOTO, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- China's BeiDou satellite positioning system has overtaken its U.S. rival in size, a shift with potentially huge implications for both high-tech industry and national security.

The U.S. has long been the world leader in satellite-based positioning with its Global Positioning System. China by contrast did not put itself on the map until relatively recently, launching its first such satellite in 2000.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.