China launches own GPS to gain 'independence' from US satellites

China has begun operating a homegrown satellite navigation service in order to reduce its 'dependence' on the US' Global Positioning System (GPS). 


The new system called 'Beidou', or 'Big Dipper', would cover most parts of the Asia Pacific by next year and then the world by 2020, said Ran Chengqi, a spokesman for the system. 


Beidou started providing initial positioning, navigation and timing operational services to China and its surrounding areas from Tuesday, a spokesman for the system said. 


China was keen to assemble a home grown satellite system of its own to reduce dependence on GPS, specially for its armed forces who apprehend that that the reliance on US systems could be dangerous for the security. 


Six more satellites will be launched in 2012 to further improve the Beidou system and expand its service area to cover most parts of the Asia-Pacific region, spokesman Ran Chengqi, who is also director of the management office of the China Satellite Navigation System, told media here. 


China began to build the Beidou system in 2000 with a goal of breaking its dependence on the GPS and creating its own global positioning system by 2020. 


So far, China has launched 10 satellites for the Beidou system, with the tenth being lifted into orbit earlier this month. 


The Beidou system is compatible and interoperable with the world's other major global navigation satellite systems, according to Ran. 


Ran encouraged enterprises at home and abroad to join the research and development of application terminals compatible with Beidou, saying a beta version of the system's Interface Control Document (ICD) could be accessed online starting Tuesday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

China building Asia's biggest thermal power plant

China's Shenhua Group will build the largest coal-fired power station in Asia over the next five years, the official Xinhua news agency said today, as the country struggles to meet its energy needs. 


China's biggest coal company and officials in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region signed a deal for the 8-gigawatt thermal plant yesterday, according to Xinhua and the local government's website. 


The plant would be built in the southern port city of Beihai to help ease power shortages caused by drought, which has strained power supplies. 


China relies on coal for nearly 70 per cent of its energy needs, which have soared in recent years as the country's economy grew at a blistering pace. 


Power outages and rationing have been imposed in 17 provinces this year and shortages could worsen if coal supplies are not increased or if the country's north sees particularly harsh winter weather. 


Shenhua's plans come days after local governments were ordered to reduce emissions of "major pollutants" by as much as 10 percent by 2015, amid growing public anxiety over bad air. 


China is the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter with many of its cities cloaked in a polluted haze. 


Shenhua and the Guangxi government will ensure the new plant's eight power generators get a steady supply of coal from company mines in Indonesia and Australia by building four 100,000-tonne deepwater loading docks, Xinhua said. 


Beihai city will also build a coal storage facility capable of handling 30 million tonnes a year in the nearby port of Tieshan.