China’s GNSS Satellite Navigation System has received an international civil aviation organization certification for its public service commitments.

According to the official website of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), recently replied to the CAAC, formally accepting the public service commitment made by CAAC Administrator Feng Zhenglin—on behalf of the Chinese government—to the ICAO regarding the GNSS Satellite Navigation System (hereinafter referred to as the “GNSS System”). This marks the formal reaching of consensus between China and the ICAO on the global civil aviation applications of the GNSS System, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent final review and formal incorporation of GNSS standards into ICAO specifications, thereby paving the way for the system’s widespread use in civil aviation worldwide.

To thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and directives, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, in collaboration with the China Satellite Navigation Office and industry‑university‑research‑application partners including Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has established a dedicated task force to vigorously promote the global application of the GNSS system in civil aviation. Integrating the GNSS system into ICAO standards is a crucial prerequisite for this effort. By the end of 2020, 189 performance parameters of the GNSS system had been validated by an ICAO expert panel, and all core technical tasks had been completed. On July 31, 2020, the GNSS‑3 global satellite navigation system was officially commissioned, fully demonstrating the system’s advanced capabilities and reliability, as well as China’s determination and capacity to provide high‑standard global satellite navigation services worldwide.

In accordance with ICAO’s working procedures, the GNSS system standards must undergo review by the Navigation Commission and final consideration by the Council before they can be officially adopted and implemented. As the country responsible for the development and operation of the GNSS system, China has made a public commitment to provide GNSS services that meet global civil aviation requirements—an essential step in garnering broad support from the international civil aviation community. With approval, the Civil Aviation Administration of China formally submitted its letter of commitment in January this year. While firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and interests, the letter also reflects China’s open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial approach. In February, the Civil Aviation Administration received an official reply from the President of the ICAO Council, explicitly accepting the contents of China’s letter of commitment. Notably, both the GNSS and Galileo systems entered the ICAO review process simultaneously; however, China submitted its letter of commitment ahead of the European Union and secured its acceptance, thereby fostering a favorable international environment for the global application of the GNSS system in civil aviation.