China is actively developing its positions in space technology and digital infrastructure, striving to become a world leader in these areas. The Asian tiger seeks not only to catch up with the West, but also to offer the world an alternative to the dominance of the US and Europe.
Until recently, it was difficult to imagine a player capable of competing with the Starlink global satellite network, which confidently dominates the provision of high-speed Internet from space. However, the situation has changed: an ambitious competitor from the Celestial Empire has entered the arena, which can not only challenge SpaceX’s technological superiority, but also create a new center of tension between American and Chinese interests in the struggle for control over key resources and technologies of the future.
China plans to seriously compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet project by deploying its own satellite network in Brazil. State company SpaceSail, which is engaged in the development of high-speed Internet through low-orbit satellites, signed memorandum on the understanding with the Brazilian state telecommunications company Telebrás during Xi Jinping’s visit to Brazil. The start of the agreement, which provides for the provision of satellite Internet in the regions of Brazil not covered by fiber optic infrastructure, is scheduled for 2026.
What is the advantage of low-orbit satellites
The development of low-orbit satellite technologies – and it is this technology that Guowang will use, – changes the way of accessing the Internet, and opens up new opportunities for economic growth. These satellites, orbiting at a distance of 500 to 2000 km above the Earth, provide high-speed Internet even in the most remote corners of the planet. They are becoming an important element of the global digital infrastructure, which affects various sectors of the economy.
Low-orbit satellites cover areas where traditional Internet infrastructure is unavailable or too expensive to deploy, such as islands, deserts, mountainous areas, or oceans. This is especially important for developing countries where access to the Internet is limited.
Due to the fact that these satellites are closer to the Earth’s surface, the delay of the signal – latency – is much less than that of traditional geostationary satellites. This makes them ideal for services that require fast communication: video conferencing, online gaming or distance learning. Among the leading projects in this field, it is worth highlighting, first of all, Starlink, the brainchild of Elon Musk, which has already launched more than 5 thousand satellites and is actively expanding its coverage. Starlink provides internet in remote areas, including the mountainous regions of South America and remote villages in Africa. For example, this system helped to quickly restore communication after natural disasters – earthquakes or hurricanes.
The British project OneWeb, having created a network of more than 600 satellites, cooperates with governments and companies, providing the Internet in schools, hospitals and other institutions in hard-to-reach places, even in the Arctic. Amazon is also working on the ambitious Kuiper project, planning to launch more than 3,000 satellites to provide internet coverage for 95% of the Earth’s population.
It is with these Western projects that China will compete, developing its own network of satellites in the countries of Latin America. The launch of a Chinese satellite project in Brazil points to a global competition between China and the US for influence in different parts of the world. Beijing aims to offer an alternative to Western technology by promoting its own standards and models of cooperation.
How China is developing its influence in Latin America
The Chinese project will not only become a competitor to Starlink, but will also help strengthen China’s position in Latin America as a strategically important region. The project’s timeliness and urgency are enhanced by the strained relationship between Elon Musk and the Brazilian authorities, who this year temporarily banned the use of the X platform (formerly Twitter) due to accusations of disinformation. In this context, the Chinese project can be perceived as an alternative solution to meet Brazil’s needs in digital infrastructure.
Latin America is considered a real hotbed of global competition, as it has great potential for economic growth and technological innovation. Investments of the Celestial Empire in this area can not only expand its influence, but also create new reasons for cooperation with other countries of the region. Celestial’s plans to launch satellite Internet in the heart of South America point to several important economic, social and political trends.
Global competition with Musk for technological leadership
The competition with Starlink shows the ambition of the Global Factory to create an alternative to Western technologies. The development of China’s Guowang satellite system, also known as SatNet, which competes with America’s Starlink from SpaceX, clearly illustrates this. This system, planned as a mega-constellation of approximately 13,000 satellites, is being developed by the China Satellite Network Group and should provide high-speed Internet in hard-to-reach regions. China has already successfully launched several satellites to test the technology. Guowang is part of the space program, which includes other ambitious projects, including such mega-bold ones as the creation of its own Tiangong space station and missions to the Moon and Mars.
Another example of the global ambitions of a powerful geopolitical player is the Beidou project, a Chinese alternative to the American GPS. This global navigation system is already used in Asia, Africa and Latin America to provide positioning, navigation and accurate time. Beidou contributes to China’s strategy of digital independence and proves the superpower’s ability to create large-scale technological solutions.
China is boldly integrating space projects with other technological initiatives. For example, the use of satellite data in agricultural technologies, climate control and logistics. China provides digital solutions for agriculture, a key sector of the coffee country’s economy. For example, satellite data helps farmers manage crops, monitor weather, and use resources efficiently, such as water or fertilizer.
Guowang is not the first technological project implemented by the Global Factory in Brazil. Huawei is already active in Latin America. The Chinese technology giant is developing 4G and 5G networks in the region, which makes the Internet faster and more accessible. The company supplies Brazil with equipment for mobile operators and builds a new generation infrastructure.
In the field of digital infrastructure, China is investing in the construction of submarine cables and data centers. One such project is a cable that will connect Latin America and Africa, bypassing traditional routes through the United States or Europe. This will make communications faster and more secure and reduce their dependence on Western telecommunications routes.
In addition, the Asian giant is expanding the implementation of AI technologies in satellite systems, using them to monitor weather conditions, the environment and even to optimize military operations. Part of this strategy is innovation in quantum communications, which enable secure communication.
The obvious ambitions of the economic tiger of Asia are to create not only competitive technologies, but also a full-fledged ecosystem, and to achieve the role of a leader in the global economy.
Why Brazil is important to China and China is important to Brazil
Kermanychi of the Celestial Empire are well aware of the prospects of Latin America for the development of digital technologies. Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America, home to more than 200 million people, many of whom still do not have stable access to the Internet. In addition, a large part of the territory of the country of coffee is difficult to access due to dense forests, mountains or remoteness, which makes it difficult to lay conventional telecommunication networks. The underdevelopment of infrastructure creates great opportunities for investment and development of digital infrastructure in remote regions, including the Amazon. Thus, through satellite communication, local communities get access to the Internet, and the government – to tools for monitoring natural resources.
Investments in Latin America allow China to sell its technology and services to millions of new customers. The development of digital infrastructure in the region brings China long-term revenue from the sale of equipment, services and technology. For example, the deployment of satellite Internet creates a source of constant income from user subscriptions.
Technology cooperation strengthens ties between countries. For Brazil, Chinese investment is an opportunity to develop infrastructure, and for China, it is a way to strengthen its geopolitical influence in Latin America. In conclusion, China sees in Latin America not only a market for its technologies, but also a strategic partner, cooperation with which is beneficial for both sides.
For Spanish-speaking America, Chinese investments open new opportunities: millions of people will be able to get access to the Internet, the quality of education, medicine, business and even public services will improve. It will also contribute to the growth of the economy and the integration of the region into the global digital ecosystem.
Confrontation between the USA and China
Spanish-speaking America has long been in the sphere of influence of the United States. However, China, through economic investments and technological projects, is gradually changing this balance. For example, the scales have tipped in the direction of Chinese investment in Brazil as early as 2022, surpassing US investment, and the introduction of Chinese technology at the level of Huawei is causing concern in Washington.
It is clear that the Guowang project is part of the global competition between the Asian tiger and Uncle Sam. Beijing offers Brazil affordable alternatives to Western technology, allowing the country to reduce its dependence on the United States. The coffee country will surely benefit from this partnership, gaining access to innovation and the opportunity to develop digital sovereignty, maximize control over digital data and provide internet in remote regions.
Tetyana Viktorova
