Recently, Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, replied to Civil Aviation Administration of China, accepting the public service commitment of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) made by CAAC Administrator Feng Zhenglin on behalf of the Chinese government. This marks the fact that China has reached a consensus with ICAO on the application of BDS in global civil aviation, laying a solid foundation for its final review and formal incorporation into the ICAO standards.

According to the working procedures of ICAO, BDS standards have to be reviewed by the Air Navigation Commission and ICAO Council before being officially released and implemented. As the country in charge of the development and operation of DBS, China made the commitment to ensure that the system can meet the needs of global civil aviation application, which is integral to winning the extensive support of the international civil aviation industry. CAAC sent the formal letter of commitment in January this year. While resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty and interests, the letter demonstrates China’s pursuit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation. In February, CAAC received the official reply from the president of the ICAO Council, who explicitly accepted the content in the letter.

Following the review by the Air Navigation Commission, the date for the official review by the ICAO Council will be around January, 2023.