The United States dominates satellite communications, and China's 6G technology "overtakes in the corner" fails
The dominance of the United States in the field of satellite communications
At present, the United States occupies a dominant position in the field of global satellite communications. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United States has nearly 40% of satellite orbit resources, which gives it an absolute advantage in the satellite communications market.
The reason why the United States can occupy a dominant position in the field of satellite communications is mainly due to its leading edge in related technologies and industrial chains. Since the 60s of the 20th century, the United States has begun to invest in the research and development of satellite communication technology on a large scale, and has gradually established a complete industrial ecology. From satellite manufacturing and launch to ground equipment and operational services, U.S. companies are leading the way.
For example, SpaceX of the United States has become the world's largest commercial satellite launcher due to its advanced rocket technology and low launch costs. Another U.S. company, Viasat, dominates broadband satellite communications, with high-performance satellites widely used in military, government and commercial applications.
The U.S. government has also attached great importance to the strategic position of satellite communications. From military communications during the Cold War to commercial applications today, the U.S. government has continuously increased investment and policy support in this field. The U.S. Department of Defense and NASA have made satellite communications a key development area, providing a large number of orders and R&D funds for related companies.
Chinese academicians are concerned about the monopoly of American satellites
The dominance of the United States in the field of satellite communications has raised concerns in other countries. As an emerging technology power, China has also been trying to catch up with and surpass the advantages of the United States in this field.
Qian Qihu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has openly stated that the US monopoly in the field of satellite communications not only restricts the development space of other countries, but may also threaten the security and stability of the global communications network. He called on the international community to strengthen supervision over the allocation of satellite resources by the United States and prevent it from abusing its monopoly position.
Wu Hequan, another academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, also said that the dominant position of the United States in the field of satellite communications may affect the fairness and openness of the global information network. He suggested that China should increase investment in this field and improve its ability to innovate independently to deal with the monopoly of the United States.
The fears of these Chinese scientists are not unfounded. The United States does have an absolute advantage in the field of satellite communications, which may affect the development of other countries in this field. If the United States abuses its monopoly position and restricts the use of satellite resources by other countries, it will seriously undermine the fairness and stability of the global communications network.
China's 6G technology "corner overtaking" strategy failed
In addition to the field of satellite communications, the United States has also maintained a leading position in the research and development of 6G technology. China once tried to catch up with and surpass the United States in the field of 6G through the strategy of "overtaking in corners", but ultimately failed.
The so-called "corner overtaking" refers to the attempt of Chinese companies and research institutions to surpass countries and companies that are already leading in certain emerging technology fields through large-scale investment and rapid advancement. This strategy has been successful to a certain extent, for example, in the research and development of 5G technology, China has finally surpassed the United States and other Western countries with large-scale investment and rapid advancement.
However, in the research and development of 6G technology, China's "corner overtaking" strategy has suffered a setback. According to foreign media reports, although China has invested a lot of money and manpower in the research and development of 6G technology, it will not be able to catch up with the United States and other Western countries in the short term.
This is mainly because the basic theories and key technologies involved in 6G technology are still dominated by the United States and other Western countries. In key areas such as millimeter-wave communications, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, U.S. companies and research institutions still maintain a leading edge. Although China is also investing on a large scale, it is still difficult to surpass the United States in a short period of time.
The development of standards for 6G technology is also mainly led by the United States. The U.S. government and companies play a key role in the development of 6G standards, which makes it difficult for China's strategy of "overtaking in corners" in 6G technology research and development.