Inmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today welcomed the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping to its London headquarters, as part of the President’s historic State Visit to the UK.
The prestigious visit reflects the close working relationship between Inmarsat and China. China was one of the eighty-six countries that came together to found Inmarsat with a maritime safety mandate and over thirty five years later Inmarsat continues to contribute to safety and security in Maritime and Aviation and more recently during disaster situations in China.
President Xi, accompanied by HRH The Duke of York, the Chinese Ambassador to London, Mr Liu Xiaoming, The Right Honourable Greg Hands and Inmarsat executives, viewed Inmarsat’s Network Operations Centre to understand how Inmarsat is able to uniquely contribute to President Xi’s One Belt One Road (‘OBOR’) strategic vision through the provision of critical global mobile broadband connectivity services, including Inmarsat’s revolutionary new service, Global Xpress.
Inmarsat has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China Transport Telecommunication & Information Centre (CTTIC) to establish a strategic partnership to deliver Inmarsat’s revolutionary Inmarsat-5 Global Xpress mobile satellite broadband communications connectivity throughout China and OBOR. The MOU creates the framework for an exclusive strategic relationship between Inmarsat and CTTIC to develop business opportunities in China and OBOR for CTTIC’s Chinese government and enterprise customers through the unique and revolutionary capabilities of the Inmarsat-5 satellites. It also sets out the framework for Inmarsat and CTTIC to establish a partnership to provide global aviation passenger connectivity and next generation safety services to Chinese airlines.
From left to right: President Xi Jinping, Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat. Credit: Inmarsat.
Rupert Pearce, CEO, Inmarsat, said: “We were most honoured to welcome President Xi to our London headquarters today. His visit reinforces the long and trusted relationship Inmarsat has had with China since our establishment in 1979 and underscores our commitment both to strengthening our partnership with our long-established channel partners in China and to supporting President Xi’s visionary ‘One Belt One Road’ strategic initiative. We welcome today’s visit as an opportunity to demonstrate how our business and humanitarian partnership with China can continue to grow and develop, bringing commercial, technological and social benefits both within China and to countries within OBOR and indeed to Chinese businesses across the globe.”
Further information
Katie Potts
Corporate Communications Manager
+44 (0)20 7728 1492
katie.potts@inmarsat.com
About Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. Inmarsat employs around 1,600 staff in more than 60 locations around the world, with a presence in the major ports and centres of commerce on every continent. Inmarsat is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: ISAT.L).
The Inmarsat press release newsfeed is on Twitter @InmarsatGlobal
About CTTIC
As an organization directly under the Ministry of Transport, CTTIC is authorised to undertake the responsibilities of telecommunication, navigation, radio and information management of the transport industry, on behalf of the country to participate the corresponding activities of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and International Maritime Organization (IMO), responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance and management of China International Maritime Satellite and International Search and Rescue Satellite System, bear the duty of non-profit communication of domestic and foreign corresponding emergent safety, undertake the works of technology research and development of telecommunication, navigation, radio and information needed by the country and industry and bear the related work of China Civil Satellite Navigation System.
