北斗卫星导航系统（以下简称北斗系统）是中国着眼于国家安全和经济社会发展需要，自主建设、独立运行的卫星导航系统，是为全球用户提供全天候、全天时、高精度的定位、导航和授时服务的国家重要空间基础设施。

　　20世纪后期，中国开始探索适合国情的卫星导航系统发展道路，逐步形成了三步走发展战略：2000年年底，建成北斗一号系统，向中国提供服务；2012年年底，建成北斗二号系统，向亚太地区提供服务；计划在2020年前后，建成北斗全球系统，向全球提供服务。

　　随着北斗系统建设和服务能力的发展，相关产品已广泛应用于交通运输、海洋渔业、水文监测、气象预报、测绘地理信息、森林防火、通信时统、电力调度、救灾减灾、应急搜救等领域，逐步渗透到人类社会生产和人们生活的方方面面，为全球经济和社会发展注入新的活力。

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (hereinafter referred to as the BDS) has been independently constructed and operated by China with an eye to the needs of the country's national security and economic and social development. As a space infrastructure of national significance, the BDS provides all-time, all-weather and high-accuracy positioning, navigation and timing services to global users.

In the late 20th century, China started to explore a path to develop a navigation satellite system suitable for its national conditions, and gradually formulated a three-step strategy of development: to complete the construction of the BDS-1 and provide services to the whole country by the end of 2000; to complete the construction of the BDS-2 and provide services to the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 2012; and to complete the construction of the BDS and provide services worldwide around 2020.

Along with the development of the BDS project and service ability, related products have been widely applied in communication and transportation, marine fisheries, hydrological monitoring, weather forecasting, surveying, mapping and geographic information, forest fire prevention, time synchronization for communication systems, power dispatching, disaster mitigation and relief, emergency search and rescue, and other fields. These products are gradually penetrating every aspect of social production and people's life, injecting new vitality into the global economy and social development.