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Full China participation in Galileo project urged
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-03 08:48

The EU urged China to fully participate in the development of a future satellite navigation system called Galileo which aims to rival the United States' global positioning system.

European Commission vice-president Jacques Barrot [AFP]

European Commission vice-president Jacques Barrot, also the commissioner responsible for transport, said China should be fully represented in the project after Galileo recently began negotiations to construct the system.

"China should remain part of the Galileo project until the end," he said at the first China-EU Summit on aviation, adding he was delighted by the "strategic partnership which is starting to take shape with China."

China has agreed to sign seven contracts with the EU to participate in Galileo and has committed itself to a 200-million-euro (241-million-dollar) investment in the project, which has an estimated final cost of 3.5 billion euros.

Last Monday a consortium made up of the European Aerospace Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Thales, and another consortium of Alcatel and Finmeccanica said they were ready to start negotiations on a contract to develop the system.

The Galileo Joint Undertaking, a public company set up by the European Commission and the European Space Agency, chose the two consortia after they dropped competing bids for the contract in May in order to make a combined offer.

Barrot said he wanted China to be part of the control body which is set to replace Galileo Joint Undertaking.

The EU says the globe-girdling satellites will enable the development of new services in areas such as transport, the environment, agriculture and fisheries that are eventually expected to cover the running costs of the system, estimated at 220 million euros.

Barrot said China's investment would ensure it was among the first users of the system which will consist of 30 satellites, the first to be launched by the end of this year.

China's participation in Galileo would ensure it was well placed to enjoy the benefits of the programme when it hosted the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 World Fair in Shanghai, he said.

Barrot also invited China to become a priority partner in SESAME, the modernisation programme for European air traffic control infrastructure.

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