China's Beidou global navigation satellite system has 1.1 billion users, the country says.
GPS, or the Global Positioning System, is the oldest and most widely used satellite navigation system in the world with 6 billion users. GPS is owned by the U.S. government and run by the Space Force, an independent military branch that's organized under the U.S. Air Force. GPS was initially designed as a military tool and is used for things like missile guidance and drone operation. But the technology has also become indispensable to the lives of civilians.
But China has understood the importance of having its own global navigation system for years, says Sarah Sewall, who served as the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights before becoming an executive at venture firm, In-Q-tel. But experts say China's Beidou system is about more than just military might. As GPS did for the U.S., Beidou is spurring massive economic development in China, to the tune of $156 billion by 2025 according to Chinese state media. Plus, it's helping the country garner global influence.
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