China hands over satellite ground station to Namibia, state media reports

BEIJING, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Chinese officials on Thursday handed over a satellite ground station to Namibia outside the southern African nation's capital Windhoek, Chinese state media reported, marking another step forward in China's expanding space programme overseas.

The Chinese-built ground data receiving station will "significantly enhance Namibia's ability to receive and process remote-sensing data from satellites," the state-run Xinhua news agency said on Friday.

As the U.S. has pulled back from aid to African countries, China has been building alliances and widening its space footprint on the continent, offering satellites, laboratories, and monitoring stations. Beijing says it is helping boost African space programmes because it wants no country left behind.

Reuters has reported that China's aid projects are giving it access to a broader surveillance network as it seeks space dominance.

Beijing can tap data and images collected from satellites, telescopes and ground stations it has provided African countries. Chinese personnel also maintain a long-term presence in facilities it builds in Africa.

"Namibia will fully own the satellite ground station and operate it independently," Zhao Weiping, the Chinese ambassador to Namibia, was quoted by Xinhua as saying on Thursday.

But Chinese experts will continue to provide technical support to the 14 local technicians they helped train, he said.

A second phase of the facility is also in the works, the envoy added.

"CHINA AID FOR SHARED FUTURE" is prominently painted on the dome-shaped facility in photos published by Xinhua.