China is in discussions with several Arab nations in an effort to promote the country's highly-advanced Beidou satellite system.

Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation Office, revealed that China is currently in talks with Saudi Arabia and Egypt who are keen in utilizing the satellite-based positioning and navigational system, reported the China Daily.

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"We will open cooperation with them in terms of technological exchanges, personnel training and promotion of Beidou-based applications," Ran said last Wednesday at the sidelines of the Seventh China Satellite Navigation Conference, which opened in Changsha.

"The countries involved have expressed an interest in the use of our satellite navigation services," he added.

Ma Jiaqing, deputy director of the China Satellite Navigation Office, reported that last week's tests in Doha, Qatar, showed that the country's local ground facilities could receive signals from up to eight Beidou satellites.

The successful tests demonstrate that China's Beidou satellite system is capable of independently providing positioning, navigational and timing services to local users, and shows that its accuracy is comparable to other space-based navigational systems.

According to the China Satellite Navigation Office, the First China-Arab States Beidou Cooperation Forum is scheduled to be held next year.

The forum aims to provide Arab states a better understanding of the China's Beidou Satellite System and its achievements.

Moreover, the event will also promote Beidou-based applications in a number of civilian sectors in the Arab world such as the mining and oil industries, agriculture, traffic management and urban administration.

The first Beidou satellite was launched in 2000. But It began providing positioning, navigational, timing and short-messaging services to civilian users in China and surrounding areas in the Asia-Pacific region in December 2012.

China has already launched 22 Beidou satellites under the system and plans to launch about 30 more by 2020.

TagsChina Beidou Satellite, china, China Satellite System