[Satellite TODAY 12-29-11] China’s Beidou global positioning system (GPS) network has started providing services to the country and the surrounding regions, Chinese Satellite Navigation System Office Director Ran Chengqi announced Dec. 27.

   Chengqi told reporters that the Beidou navigation system is offering services that include positioning and navigation routes and that the country’s government would make Beidou available to Chinese and foreign companies for research and development.

   China has scheduled Beidou to be available to a majority of the Asian-Pacific region by the end of 2012 and worldwide by 2020.