Commentary The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) calls the BeiDou satellite navigation system (BeiDou or BDS) a pillar of great power, a global espionage tool. It is suitable for use in various fields such as the military, transportation, communications, and urban surveillance. According to its website, “the BDS provides all-time, all-weather and high-accuracy positioning, navigation and timing services to global users.” During Operation Desert Storm, in the 1990s, the commercial Global Positioning System (GPS) aided U.S. soldiers to end the war in 43 days. The U.S. military won the war and did not have many casualties compared to the Iraqi army, which lost more than 100,000 soldiers. To compete with the GPS, the CCP spent 26 years developing its satellite navigation system, investing more than $12 billion and placing 55 satellites in orbit. BeiDou was developed by the CCP’s military and its National University of Defense Technology, with the support of other government …