China's homegrown Beidou Satellite Navigation System began providing positioning, navigation and timing services to China and its surrounding areas on December 27.

"Six more satellites will be launched in 2012 to further improve the Beidou system and expand its service area to cover most parts of the Asia-Pacific region," said Ran Chengqi, Director of the Management Office of the China Satellite Navigation System.

China began to build the Beidou system in 2000 with the goal of creating its own global positioning system by 2020. Ten satellites have been launched for it.

The Beidou system is compatible and interoperable with the world's other major global satellite navigation systems, according to Ran.