The Chinese regime is positioning itself for the next iteration of the communications technology race with Western rivals by launching a national project to coordinate its major space actors. China’s first centrally administrated satellite internet company was inaugurated in Xiongan New Area, southwest of Beijing, on April 28, according to the state-owned China Daily. Han Zheng, the vice-premier of the Chinese regime, reviewed the company’s proposed location and witnessed the cooperative agreement signed with the local administrative committee before attending the inauguration ceremony, said the report. Space-based internet (pdf) can provide high-performance services through mega-constellations of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which is also an essential aspect of a ground-air-space integrated network for constructing sixth-generation (6G) systems. Over the past few years, there has been heightened interest in the commercial space industry. SpaceX’s Starlink has more than 1,300 satellites in orbit, surpassing other companies and governments in the world and serving over 10,000 users. Anther …