China launched a domestically produced communications satellite for Nigeria yesterday, marking an expansion of China's commercial launching services for foreign space hardware, Xinhua news agency reported.
The launch coincides with the opening of the African Development Bank's annual board meeting in Shanghai this week, reflecting growing African-Chinese ties.
The Long March 3-B rocket carrying the Nigerian Communication Satellite, blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province just after midnight, Xinhua said.
The satellite had entered its orbit "accurately" and would offer telecommunications, broadcasting and broadband multimedia services for Africa throughout the next 15 years, it said.
China was awarded the US$311 million deal in 2004 after it outbid 21 international rivals, the first time a foreign buyer had purchased both a Chinese-made satellite and its launching service, Xinhua said.