China's Guowang and Qianfan Megaconstellations Challenge Starlink

China has built two major low Earth orbit satellite megaconstellations: Guowang, a state-oriented network run by China SatNet, and commercially oriented Qianfan. Guowang had launched only 15 satellites by early 2024, far short of its plan for 12,992, and its state monopoly ended in October 2023 when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology opened the sector to non-state firms.