China signs declaration with Arab countries to use its GPS

China and Arab countries today signed a declaration on using Chinese navigation system BDS, a rival to US' Global Positioning System (GPS).
China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is compatible with other satellite navigation systems and aims to provide services to Belt and Road countries and regions from the end of 2018, completing deployment of 35-satellite constellation around 2020 to provide global services, state- run Xinhua news agency reported.
"The declaration will provide policy support for satellite navigation cooperation on both sides," said Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Ming at the first forum on BDS cooperation between China and Arab countries.

The report, however, did not name the Arab countries.
Zhang hoped that with the aid of delegates a "space silk road" could soon be built to help China-Arab cooperation.
Wang Li, chairman of the China Satellite Navigation System Committee, said that based on present cooperation and the needs of Arab countries, both sides agreed to boost major project cooperation and conduct joint research on satellite navigation application in fields like intelligent transportation, land mapping, precision agriculture and public security.
The forum also featured training sessions on the BDS.
A second forum on BDS cooperation between China and Arab countries will be held in an Arab country in 2019.