BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 13th Meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), which started Monday in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Xi said satellite navigation systems are significant space infrastructure and important information guarantee for economic and social development to provide humanity with all-day accurate time and space information service on life and work.

Xi noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the first UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and countries should step up international cooperation and coordination in satellite navigation, facilitate the global application of the systems, and make them play a more significant role in improving human welfare.

China attaches importance to the development of satellite navigation systems and actively seeks international cooperation, Xi stressed in the letter, saying the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has become one of the most significant achievements during China's 40 years of reform and opening-up.

He said the BeiDou system will start serving countries and regions along the Belt and Road by the end of 2018 and expand the service network to the entire globe in 2020, and build a comprehensive space and time system that is more ubiquitous, more integrated and more smart by 2035.

Xi said China is willing to share the achievements of the BeiDou system with other countries, and promote the development of global satellite navigation systems.

Xi called for ICG meeting delegates to deepen communication and pool ideas to make global satellite navigation systems provide better global services for humanity.