Nations expanding their space capabilities often seek partnerships with established space powers to accelerate development. China has emerged as a significant provider of space technology and services to Middle Eastern and North African countries seeking to establish their own space industries, offering launch services, satellite technology and expertise alongside financing arrangements.
Historical Foundation for Regional Space Cooperation
China established early space sector engagement with Algeria through a 2007 memorandum of understanding, though implementation required several years. Algeria’s Space Agency signed a cooperation agreement with China National Space Administration in 2013 and partnered with China Great Wall Industry Corporation on Alcomsat-1, Algeria’s first geostationary communications satellite.
The Alcomsat-1 satellite launched aboard a Chinese Long March-3B carrier rocket in December 2017, including construction of two ground monitoring stations that Algerian engineers trained in China now operate. Algeria valued this achievement sufficiently to feature the satellite on its 500 Dinar banknotes.
This cooperation occurred as Chinese leadership elevated space partnerships within broader diplomatic frameworks. Following President Xi’s 2013 Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese aerospace companies proposed adding a “Space Silk Road” component. President Xi introduced the “1+2+3” framework at the 2014 China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, identifying space cooperation alongside nuclear and renewable energy as priority areas.
Egypt’s Satellite Manufacturing Capacity
Since 2016, approximately $140 million in Chinese grants funded construction of Africa’s first satellite assembly, integration and testing center in Cairo, along with co-development of the MisrSat-2 satellite. The facility became operational in 2023, enabling Egypt to assemble and test satellite components domestically.
MisrSat-2 launched in December 2023 with 2-meter panchromatic resolution capabilities supporting agriculture monitoring, urban planning and resource exploration. China also launched Egypt’s Horus-1 and Horus-2 satellites in early 2023, providing remote sensing capabilities for monitoring Egypt’s vast desert regions.
BeiDou Navigation System Expansion
China’s BeiDou navigation system emerged from 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis experiences when military officials attributed missile tracking failures to GPS disruptions. With approximately 45 operational satellites, BeiDou now rivals American GPS.
In January 2016, China signed cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia and Arab organizations regarding BeiDou development. The first China-Arab States BeiDou Cooperation Forum convened in May 2017, and China inaugurated its first overseas BeiDou center in Tunisia in April 2018.
Tunisia, Algeria, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Morocco and Sudan now utilize BeiDou for precision agriculture, telecommunications and disaster response. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense signed a 2019 agreement regarding military applications. Contemporary systems employ multi-constellation receivers working with multiple satellite networks simultaneously for redundancy.
Saudi Arabia and Lunar Research Initiatives
In 2016, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology concluded a memorandum with China’s Satellite Navigation Office covering satellite manufacturing, BeiDou usage, and permanent space station capabilities. A Saudi-made micro optical camera participated in China’s Chang’e-4 lunar mission in 2019. In 2023, Saudi Arabia signed a $266.6 million agreement with Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group to construct a major satellite manufacturing facility.
China and Russia initiated the International Lunar Research Station through March 2021 agreements. Egypt became the first Arab country joining the ILRS in 2023, while Turkey applied in 2024 to become the tenth nation and first NATO member participating. Turkey’s Middle East Technical University expects to send two AI-powered micro-rovers on China’s Chang’e-8 mission in 2029.
Export Controls and Technology Transfer
The UAE signed a September 2022 memorandum for its Rashid 2 rover to fly on China’s Chang’e-7 lunar mission, but US International Traffic in Arms Regulations prohibited this collaboration since the rover incorporated US-made components. This illustrated tensions between UAE relationships with both the United States and China, as the Emirates has signed US-led Artemis Accords while pursuing Chinese space cooperation.
Allegations of Intelligence Support
In April 2025, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Chang Guang Satellite Technology was “directly supporting Iran-backed Houthi terrorist attacks on US interests” by allegedly providing satellite imagery for targeting vessels in the Red Sea. Chang Guang operates the Jilin-1 constellation of over 100 Earth observation satellites.
Chang Guang denied the allegations, stating it has no business dealings with Iran or Houthi forces and strictly complies with international regulations. Chinese technical experts questioned whether the alleged tracking capabilities were technically feasible given satellite revisit cycle limitations for tracking mobile naval targets.
Strategic Context
Beyond major partnerships, Chinese space cooperation extends broadly. Sudan’s first Earth observation satellite was designed by Shenzhen Aerospace. Oman partnered with Chinese companies on AI-powered satellites. Djibouti signed preliminary agreements for potential satellite and rocket launching facilities. Turkey’s Turksat signed 2025 cooperation agreements with ChinaSat and Spacesail.
President Xi announced a $50 billion investment package for Africa in September 2024, with satellite development and lunar exploration marked as priorities. While the United States maintains dominant positions in global space industry and Middle Eastern countries also engage European, Japanese, and Israeli space firms, China offers accessible routes to space services for countries with limited resources, complete with financing, training and technology transfer.
Gulf countries face constraints balancing space partnerships with deep security dependencies on the United States. North African countries with fewer such constraints have pursued more extensive Chinese partnerships. The trajectories of these relationships will significantly influence regional technological development and strategic alignments across coming decades.
Original reporting by Dale Aluf for Al-Monitor. Republished with additional research and verification by ThinkTanksMonitor.
