The launch ceremony for the Chinese navy's Blue Network Project was held at the navy's Commend and Communication Center on Thursday. By using national communication satellites to transmit digital information, the project aims to establish a network covering over 1600 remote units and several hundred vessels in the Xisha Islands (Paracel Islands) and Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands). State Councilor Chen Zhili attended the ceremony.

Receptive antennas and mobile video cards will be installed in navy vessels and navy bases in remote mountain and island areas. These devices will be connected with a computer network of vessels and stations and transmit digital information.

Once the Blue Network Project is complete, navy vessels and remote bases will be able to get access to the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) political work website and the navy's political work website through the Sino Satellites distribution network. This means they will be able undertake distant learning programs on 580 subjects in 10 major categories such as industry, agriculture, culture, medicine and law, developed by China Education Television, and receive Sky Broadcasts from the State Information Center. Soldiers in the Nansha Islands will be able to undertake distance education, read the People's Daily and PLA Daily newspapers, and watch the latest television programs for their entertainment.

By People's Daily Online