Satellite imagery data provided by different nations: China

The 'Map World' in Chinese language is regarded as the rival for Google maps.

With questions raised over the IPR of a controversial Chinese online map,China on Friday clarified that the satellite imagery data was being provided by commercial satellites from different countries.

China8217;s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping SBSM,which launched the 8220;Map World8221; showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as China8217;s territory,said that the independent Intellectual Property Rights of the mapping service refers to the online service software,but not data resource like the satellite imagery itself.

SBSM has clarified that the satellite imagery data used in China8217;s Map World came from commercial satellites and the self-owned intellectual property rights in Map World refer to the platform8217;s 8220;service software,8221; not its 8220;data resources.8221;

8220;Satellite images have been purchased from abroad,and I think the suppliers are from different countries,8221; Jiang Jie,an official with the National Geomatics Centre of China under the SBSM was quoted by the state-run People8217;s Daily as saying.

The clarification came after a Chinese blogger questioned the IPR of the map saying the satellite maps used in Map World most likely come from the US-based DigitalGlobe,which is the satellite imagery provider of Google Earth maps.

The 8216;Map World8217; in Chinese language is regarded as the rival for Google maps.

In its clarification,the SBSM said China has secured IPR for service system,including data processing,management and maintenance,online services and interface secondary development.

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The system will enable Map World to deal with 10 million page views per day.8221;

8220;Map World is still at the stage of testing,and there is much room for improvement. Suggestions from Internet users are welcomed.

8220;More than 1,500 suggestions have been received on the feedback column on the website,and more than half of them said that names on Map World need to be updated and revised. We will check and revise those names,8221; Jiang said.