China building US$9bil rival to American-run GPS

Direct competitor: A model of Beidou navigation satellite system is displayed at an aviation and aerospace exhibition in Zhuhai. Beidou is one element of China’s ambitious campaign to displace Western dominance in aerospace. — AP

HONG KONG: China is taking its rivalry with the US to the heavens, spending at least US$9bil to build a celestial navigation system and cut its dependence on the American-owned GPS amid heightening tensions between the two countries.

Location data beamed from GPS satellites are used by smartphones, car navigation systems, the microchip in your dog’s neck and guided missiles – and all those satellites are controlled by the US Air Force.