China launched the International Marine Satellite (Inmarsat) F system Thursday, a key step toward bringing China to the world front of technologies and services concerning mobile satellite communications applications.

China's newly-launched Inmarsat-F system is currently the most advanced mobile digital multimedia marine communication system in the world, and China is the first developing country in the world to launch such a system.

The F-system is capable of servicing global end-users at sea, in the air and on land, by telephone, fax, telex, picture transmission and can even help them connect to the Internet.

Yang Hongyi, director of China Transportation and Telecommunication Center (CTTC), China's only institution which built the country's marine satellite system, said the F-system may not only help upgrade China's communication level on the sea, land or in the air, but also help expand Inmarsat service to more sectors like government, media, national defense and petroleum exploration.

A marine satellite communication system has been used in China for more than 20 years since Inmarsat Beijing LES (land earth station) was put into operation in June 1991.

For the moment, Inmarsat Beijing LES is capable of delivering Inmarsat-A/B/C/M/Mini-M services, and the newly opened F service.

Yang said based on the Inmarsat-F system, China will make further efforts to establish the country's "Modern Transportation Logistics Information Port".

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2003)