Building an “Outer Space Silk Road”: China’s Beidou Navigation Satellite System in the Arab World

Abstract: Navigation satellite systems are the symbols of states’ hard power, and so are the assets of science and technology diplomacy. In the new era, the structure of great powers’ navigation satellite systems is characterized by “one superpower” (the US GPS), “multi-pillars” (EU’s Galileo, Russian GLONASS and Chinese Beidou), and “multi-centers” (Indian regional navigation satellite system and Japanese quasi zenith navigation satellite system). Beidou is of great significance to promoting “One Belt and One Road” Initiative in the Arab world, and the essential measures to deepen the strategic partnership between China and the Arab League in inter-connectivity; it will also be an essential step for Beidou’s “going global” strategy in the long run. The implementation of Beidou’s projects in the Arab world is confronted with four dimensions of challenges of political, security, judicial and socio-cultural risks. Its implementation follows an incremental principle, choose pivotal states, create a radiation effect, which will lay a foundation for Beidou to open the West Asian and African market in the years to come.