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China’s BeiDou navigation system: unique path of independent innovation

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By Liu Shiyao, People’s Daily

A couple of months ago, China launched two new satellites for the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan province.

The two satellites, the 59th and 60th in the family of BeiDou, were the second group of medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites launched since BDS-3 was formally commissioned to provide satellite navigation services worldwide. They were also the final two satellites for BDS-3.

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is a project built and operated by China. After many years in development, it has become animportant new element of China’s infrastructure,providing high-accuracy, round-the-clock positioning, navigation and timing services to global users in all weathers.

China began to develop its own navigation satellite system in 1994. At the end of 2000, BDS-1 entered service and began providing positioning services in China; in 2012, BDS-2 was completed to provide passive positioning services to the Asia-Pacific region; in 2020, BDS-3was officially commissioned to provide satellite navigation services around the globe.

One of the keys that enabled BDS-3 to expand from regional to global coverage is that it has realized measurement and communicationbetween satellites through inter-satellite links, or ISL.

The ISL, a bold and innovative approach, refers to a communication line between satellites – a wireless link capable of both data transmission and distance measurement between spacecraft. Based on Chinese domestic ground stations, this technology enables the “out of sight” BeiDou satellites on the far side of the Earth toestablish connections with other BeiDou satellites,thereby ensuring seamless communication across the entire constellation.

With the collaboration of over 400 organizations and the efforts of more than 300,000 researchers,BDS represents China’s steady improvements and upgrades in satellite navigation.

In March 2015, China launched the first BDS-3experimental satellite that involved 70 percent newly developed technologies, maintaining sound operations ever since.

Traditionally, the proportion of new technologies used in satellites does not exceed 30 percent. How was this satellite able to push this boundary to 70 percent?Lin Baojun, researcher with the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief designer of BDS-3, gives the answer.

“It usually takes about 10 years to develop a key technology, while a satellite often operates for more than 10 years. This means that by the time a satellite completes its mission, it’s using technologies that arealready 20 years old. That’s why it is crucial to adopt an innovative and forward-lookingapproach in satellite development,” said Lin.

Lin streamlined the satellite’s structure by merging more than 10 subsystems, such as structural components and thermal control, into four major functional chains: electronics, control, structure, and payload. This simplification improved the reliability of the whole system. After repeated selection and testing, Lin and his team adopted mature components and manufacturing processes to ensure the implementation of new technologies, making the satellite technologically advanced.

Sources say that BDS has made breakthroughs in a host of key technologies, achieving the independent development of multiple key components. All the core components of BDS-3 satellites are independently developed and produced by China.

Zheng Xiaodong, a senior engineer with the 54th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, has been dedicated to developing BDS’ ground system for over 20 years. His team has independently developed the short message communication system unique to BDS-3.

Distinguished from other satellite navigation systems which are limited to passive positioning and can only determine the position of users, BDS-3 can not only know “where I am” but also share “what I’m doing.”When other communication methods break down in case of emergencies like sudden earthquakes or maritime distress, the shortmessage communication services can be indispensable for sending distress signals and saving lives.

To bring satellite messaging to every household, Zheng’s team innovatively came up with the idea of equipping mobile phones with the BDS-3 short message communication function.

“This requires the product to achieve high-power transmission and high-sensitivity reception within an extremely compact design,” Zheng explained.

The team has overcome key technological challenges, such as high-sensitivity rapid acquisition and integrated RF-baseband design, and developed the world’s first low-cost, low-power chip for shortmessage communication at the consumers’ terminal.

Today, the BDS-3 shortmessage communication services have beenemployed in over 2,500 reservoirs across the country for hydrological monitoring. More than 10 million shared bikes equipped with Chinese independently-produced BDS high-precision positioning chips have been deployed, and mobile phones equipped with shortmessage communication services have been released.

BDS is now deeply integrated into a variety of industries, becoming an important engine for China’seconomic and social development.

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Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

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The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.

 

On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.

 

The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.

 

While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.

 

VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.

 

The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.

 

Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.

 

The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”

 

Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.

 

As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.

US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.

Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.

The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily

At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.

Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.

In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.

China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.

Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.

Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.

Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.

Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.

Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.

In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.

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