Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 437 Are there still spies these days?
At the beginning of the year, the Beidou Joint Laboratory was also entering a critical period of tackling key challenges.

The dismantling and analysis of the GLONASS satellite that He Yuzhu brought back, after months of joint efforts by Huang He's team and several top domestic research institutions, has begun to bear fruit.

The BeiDou joint laboratory was brightly lit.

Although the person in charge, Huai Xinghan, is advanced in years, he is still in good spirits and is presiding over a crucial technical seminar. The blackboard in front of him is covered with complex signal flow diagrams and circuit diagrams.

"Comrades, the spaceborne atomic clock on that Russian satellite has taught us a valuable lesson." Huai Xinghan pointed to the enlarged structural diagram on the projection screen. "Its miniaturization, stability, and radiation resistance are indeed far superior to our existing products. In particular, its simplified design concept for the hydrogen atomic clock has shown us the possibility of significantly reducing size and power consumption while ensuring accuracy."

A middle-aged researcher in charge of atomic clock development then reported: "President Huai, we, in collaboration with the Institute of Electronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 504 Institute of Aerospace Science and Technology, have basically mastered its design essence. The main difficulty lies in the process. Some of the special coating technologies and vacuum packaging processes it uses cannot be fully replicated by our production line at the moment, resulting in a very low yield."

“The technological issues cannot be resolved overnight,” Huai Xinghan said in a deep voice. “We cannot wait. We must take a two-pronged approach: first, continue to tackle the technological challenges and strive to achieve complete domestic production as soon as possible; second, based on our understanding of the design principles, combine them with the most mature domestic technologies to redesign and optimize the system, and produce an engineering prototype that meets performance standards and ensures reliability! The Beidou-1 network cannot wait!”

Everyone in the meeting room nodded in agreement. Time was of the essence; they had to find the fastest path between learning from others and independent innovation.

"Where's the signal receiving and processing module?" Huai Xinghan looked to the other side.

"Progress is relatively smooth," the team leader in charge of signal processing replied. "Their core processing unit architecture has given us a lot of inspiration. Our 'Loongson' prototype, designed in our lab, has improved data processing efficiency by 30% after incorporating some of their advantages. We are currently accelerating radiation hardening tests. It is expected that the next Beidou test satellite will be able to carry our initial version of the domestically produced processing unit for verification in space."

Huai Xinghan showed a hint of relief: "Good! That's the kind of spirit we need. For navigation satellites, the clock is the heart, and the processing unit is the brain. Once these two key bottlenecks are overcome, our BeiDou system will have truly taken a solid step towards independent control."

He looked around at everyone, his tone grave: "The international situation is constantly changing, and we must race against time to firmly grasp the initiative in navigation and positioning. The center is pressing us hard; the payload of the next Long March 3B rocket will be our new generation test satellite, and all tests must be carried out flawlessly."

Several months later, deep in the mountains of western Sichuan, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

The valley was illuminated by a huge lighting system, making it as bright as day. In the distance, a Long March series carrier rocket stood majestically on the launch pad, with the national flag and the words "China Aerospace" on the rocket body standing out prominently in the strong light.

It is about to launch a special experimental satellite into its designated orbit.

The atmosphere inside the launch command and control hall was solemn and tense.

The huge screen continuously refreshed the various final test data.

"Telemetry signal is normal."

"Propellant loading complete."

"Platform attitude control system self-test passed."

"Payload... Beidou Experimental Satellite 1, final power-on check, all subsystems report status."

Huai Xinghan and several core members stared intently at the several screens in front of them, which displayed in real time the key parameters of various instruments on the satellite, especially the domestically produced spaceborne atomic clock and Beidou chip processor that had undergone adaptive modifications.

"The vacuum level of the atomic clock is stable."

"The frequency locking loop is working properly."

"The processor core voltage and temperature are both in the green zone."

"Data injection complete, firmware boot successful"

After a series of reports of "normal" and "ready," the satellite researchers breathed a sigh of relief.

Huai Xinghan took a deep breath and said in a deep voice into the microphone: "Commander-in-Chief, Beidou Test Satellite-1, status confirmed, meets launch conditions."

His voice was clearly transmitted back to the Xichang command center via a dedicated line.

Commander-in-Chief Wen Huayu stood in front of the command console, his gaze sweeping over the huge countdown display screen at the front of the hall.

He picked up the direct line phone in front of him, his voice steady and powerful: "Attention all positions, this is Zero One. Based on the final test results and meteorological consultation, it has been decided that the launch procedure will now enter the negative one-hour preparation phase. Proceed according to the planned procedure."

"understand!"

"understand!"

The instructions were quickly relayed to all positions at the launch site.

The last working platform on the launch tower slowly retracted, revealing the rocket's complete and majestic form.

The fuel supply pipes detached, and the levers used for securing the launch tower opened sequentially.

In the control room, only the countdown and reports of critical system statuses remained, making the space feel exceptionally empty and solemn.

"...Ten, nine, eight, seven...three, two, one, ignite!"

With the ignition command, the Long March 3B rocket spewed out a huge orange-red flame from its base, and thick white smoke instantly enveloped the launch pad.

The deafening roar, even through the thick observation window, still reverberated through the hall.

The rocket soared into the sky, trailing a bright plume of flame, like a fiery dragon tearing through the night, resolutely piercing the heavens.

"The program turned normally."

"Booster separation."

"First and second level separation."

"Secondary host ignition successful."

"Fairing separation..."

The success of each key action brought a sense of relief to the atmosphere in the command center.

When the confirmation signal of "satellite separation" was finally transmitted back, and the icon representing the satellite on the screen successfully entered the predetermined orbital parameter range, a long-suppressed and enthusiastic applause finally broke out in the hall.

The next few hours will be dedicated to more precise orbit control and on-orbit testing of the satellite.

The satellite's solar panels deployed successfully, and the power system is supplying power normally.

Each payload is powered on sequentially according to the instructions.

The ground station successfully acquired the satellite downlink signal, and the signal quality was excellent.

……

When it was finally confirmed that the satellite was operating stably in its predetermined orbit, and that the new signal unit and atomic clock module, which were developed with the participation of Huagao Technology, were functioning as expected, a long and heartfelt round of applause and cheers erupted in the control hall.

Many veteran experts shook hands and hugged each other, tears glistening in their eyes.

The successful orbit insertion and initial smooth on-orbit testing of the BeiDou experimental satellite have been a great encouragement to all personnel involved in the project in the domestic aerospace and electronics fields.

But this is just a solid step in the long road of building China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. The real challenges lie in the subsequent network deployment, launch, and system stability verification.

The Beidou satellite production center and satellite launch centers in Xichang and Taiyuan then entered a state of high-intensity work with continuous shifts.

In order to quickly establish regional service capabilities, the "one rocket, multiple satellites" launch mission was put on the agenda, and the launch density increased significantly.

The most it ever launched was seven, which was jokingly referred to as launching a 'spoon'.

Behind every successful launch lies the tireless hard work of countless researchers and engineers, day and night.

On the satellite production line, the requirements for component selection, assembly, and overall satellite testing are almost stringent. At the launch site, every step of the rocket's hoisting, testing, and fueling must be meticulously executed to ensure absolute success.

However, just as the BeiDou system was progressing steadily as planned, invisible pressure was quietly approaching from overseas.

Some international forces have keenly perceived China's determination and speed in achieving self-reliance in the field of satellite navigation.

Unwilling to see a potential, uncontrolled global navigation system emerge, they began to take action.

The first to be affected are the international procurement channels for high-end and special components required by the BeiDou system.

Several core suppliers that have long provided aerospace-grade chips, high-performance radiation-resistant components, and special frequency sources to the overseas branches and domestic cooperative research institutes of the Yellow River Group delayed or suspended the supply of some key products at almost the same time, citing various reasons such as "insufficient production capacity," "production line adjustments," or "the need for additional export license approvals."

"Mr. Huai, we just received an official notification from 'Shinco Electronics' (an overseas company) that the batch of aerospace-grade DSP chips for navigation signal generation units that they were originally scheduled to deliver next quarter has been postponed indefinitely." A deputy director in charge of the supply chain hurriedly walked into Huai Xinghan's temporary office in Xichang with a fax in hand, his face grim.

Huai Xinghan was reviewing the technical status documents for the next networking satellite when he heard this. He looked up, his gray eyebrows furrowing: "Reason?"

"They said their headquarters received new regulations that require additional, extremely complex licenses for chips with certain performance indicators, and the approval process is expected to be very long."

"Hmph, a trumped-up charge." Huai Xinghan snorted coldly, putting down the documents. "This isn't the first case. It seems someone doesn't want us to send the stars into space smoothly."

Almost simultaneously, in He Yuzhu's study in Beijing, Gu Yuanheng also sent an urgent report from Hong Kong.

“Boss, something’s not right. We’ve been ordering several high-purity specialty gases and a rare metal target for manufacturing spaceborne atomic clocks through several offshore companies for a long time. Suddenly, the supplier is demanding that we renegotiate the contracts, raise the prices by 50%, and require full payment in advance, while extending the delivery period by three months. I suspect that someone is systematically putting pressure on us behind the scenes.”

He Yuzhu listened to the phone call without much surprise on his face.

He said calmly, "It was expected. Our development of BeiDou has threatened other people's interests. They can use commercial espionage to steal medicine formulas and use food as weapons, so naturally they will also try to strangle us in the high-tech field."

"So what do we do? It's difficult to find suitable alternative sources for these materials in the short term, especially those that meet aerospace-grade purity and stability requirements."

“We need to take a two-pronged approach.” He Yuzhu turned around, his tone decisive. “First, have Yuanheng use all your business connections and channels, even if the prices are higher, to find a way to obtain enough emergency supplies in small batches from non-mainstream channels to ensure that current production and R&D continue uninterrupted. Second, and most importantly, immediately report the situation to Elder Huai and relevant departments, and ask them to coordinate with domestic materials and chemical companies to accelerate the R&D and certification of domestic alternatives at all costs.”

He paused, then added, "Tell them that Huanghe is willing to provide all the necessary technical parameters and financial support; we'll provide the personnel and the money. The 'heart' and 'blood' of BeiDou must be in our own hands!"

Gu Yuanheng immediately understood: "Understood, boss. I'll take care of it right away and convey your message to President Huai at the same time."

The pressure quickly spread to Huagao Technology and its related R&D system.

Lu Shuyi had just finished dealing with the urgent demands from various military industrial units when she had to face an urgent need from the Beidou project.

"President Lu, this is a list of urgent technical assistance requests just sent by the Beidou Joint Laboratory." The assistant placed a new document on her desk. "It mainly concerns the chip design iteration of the navigation signal anti-interference module, as well as the verification of alternative solutions for several special packaging materials. They said that the original import material channels may be interrupted at any time."

Lu Shuyi rubbed her temples, feeling a throbbing pain. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down: "Prioritize it as part of 'Project X'. Notify the chip design department and the materials institute to establish a special Beidou support team, liaise with Huai's people, directly address their needs, and streamline all procedures. As I said before, if you encounter any technical bottlenecks that you can't solve, report them directly to me, and I'll coordinate resources."

The tension within Huagao Technology, which had just been heightened by military projects, was now tightened even further by the BeiDou project. The lights in the laboratories and factories remained on all night.

At a higher level, relevant coordination mechanisms have also been initiated.

Led by the relevant authorities, multiple special meetings were held to coordinate the materials research institutes under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and major military industrial groups, as well as capable university laboratories, to concentrate efforts on tackling the "bottleneck" aspects of the BeiDou system that have been subject to foreign control.

This is a battle against time.

On the one hand, we must take advantage of the remaining window of opportunity in international channels to stockpile as many critical materials as possible; on the other hand, we must race against time to achieve technological breakthroughs and domestic substitution.

He Yuzhu was not idle either.

He continuously purchased restricted categories in small batches through Bai Yifeng's network in North America and the Peninsula Taishan Group.

At that time, there was no electronic product tracking or chip tracking, so it was really impossible to find out where things went.

Of course, He Yuzhu didn't make much money from this. He only added some shipping and risk fees. After all, if something went wrong, the person who actually did the work would need compensation and money to save people.

The successful launch of the first batch of regional networking satellites of the BeiDou system marks that the system has initially acquired regional navigation and positioning capabilities.

When the news was relayed internally, Huai Xinghan and the members of the Beidou team only breathed a brief sigh of relief before throwing themselves into even more demanding work—the construction of the ground application segment.

In the laboratories in Xichang and Beijing, engineers began working on prototypes of the first batch of civilian-grade BeiDou signal receivers and timing modules.

Unlike the high precision and high reliability requirements of military applications, civilian products need to find a balance between cost, power consumption, and size. "Mr. Huai, this is the architecture diagram of the first civilian dual-mode (BeiDou/GPS) receiver chip designed based on the characteristics of satellite downlink signals." A young engineer showed the design on the projection screen. "We adopted the concept of software-defined radio, using a single hardware architecture to be compatible with both signal systems, which can significantly reduce terminal costs and development difficulty."

Wearing his reading glasses, Huai Xinghan carefully examined each module on the blueprint: "The idea is correct. But we need to think it through. The signal strength, encoding method, and frequency points of the two systems are different. How can we optimize the RF front-end and baseband processing? Power consumption control is key, especially for portable devices."

"We are currently conducting co-simulation. The RF portion is planned to be used," the engineer explained in detail regarding the technical aspects.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, in He Yuzhu's study, he was talking with He Yaozong, who had just returned from the Special Economic Zone.

“Dad, we’ve discussed the location-based electronic maps you mentioned last time several times internally. We think the market potential is huge, but the technical barriers and capital investment are also very high.” He Yaozong handed over a preliminary market analysis report. “Especially map data collection, which requires a lot of manpower and resources for on-site surveying or purchasing expensive foreign data licenses, and updating and maintaining it is a bottomless pit.”

He Yuzhu didn't look at the report immediately. He walked to the window and looked at the old blue bricks in the courtyard: "Maps are the foundation of the future digital world. GPS is currently the dominant player, and its civilian standards and electronic map formats have almost become the de facto global standards. If we don't follow up now, it will be difficult to get in once the market is completely occupied."

"But now, we..."

“There are ready-made ones abroad. You don’t need the actual scenery; you can just use an enlarged map.”

"what?"

"Hey, you only care about communications and don't pay attention to anything else. Have Chen Sheng ask him to go to North America and ask about Chrysler navigation maps."

"Oh, oh!"

A few days later, in He Yuzhu's study, He Yaozong sat opposite his father again, his face showing excitement and a hint of realization.

“Dad, I’ve already asked Uncle Chen Sheng,” He Yaozong said quickly. “In North America, in-car navigation has indeed been developing for some time now. It’s mainly based on CD-ROM-stored map data, combined with a GPS receiver. High-end models like Chrysler already have it as an option. Their map data providers, such as NavTech, have accumulated a large amount of digital road network information.”

He Yuzhu nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Uncle Chen Sheng has already contacted NavTech and some smaller map data companies through our investment company in North America. The initial feedback is that they are open to licensing their North American and even global map data to a Hong Kong-based company for the development of the Asian market, although the price is, of course, quite high. Moreover, their data format and standards are entirely built around GPS."

“Isn’t this perfect?” He Yuzhu tapped his finger on the table. “Our first step is to ‘take what’s available.’ We’ll buy the licenses to use and modify their existing data in the Asia-Pacific region. Using their foundation, we can quickly build the prototype of our own electronic map database.”

“But Dad,” He Yaozong raised his concerns, “their data, especially its coverage of urban roads in China, is definitely very rough, and there are probably many errors and omissions. Relying entirely on their data would probably make it very difficult to get by in China.”

“Who said we have to rely on them completely?” He Yuzhu glanced at his son. “Buying their data is buying a framework, a ready-made data structure and processing experience. More importantly, it’s learning how they digitize paper maps, how to establish topological relationships, and how to perform the entire process of data updates and maintenance. It would take too much time for us to figure this out from scratch.”

He stood up and walked to the huge map of China on the wall: "The skeleton is there; now we have to fill in the flesh and blood. Immediately establish an independent 'Digital Mapping Business Unit' under Yellow River Communications. Do three things:"

"First, we organized a technical team to digest and absorb the foreign map data standards and processing tools we purchased, and on this basis, we developed our own map data compilation and editing platform."

"Second, launch the 'street sweeping' plan. Recruit personnel, equip them with GPS receivers and simple surveying tools, and start with core cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to collect on-site road network data and mark points of interest (POIs) to correct and enrich the imported data. At the same time, contact surveying institutes and urban construction departments in various places to see if we can obtain official, more up-to-date, and more accurate basic geographic information data as a supplement, even if it requires paying a price."

“Third, and this is crucial,” He Yuzhu turned around, his gaze sharp, “this business unit needs to simultaneously develop a receiving module that supports BeiDou satellite signals. Our electronic maps cannot be tied to GPS alone. We need to create dual-mode chips and boards that can receive both GPS and BeiDou signals to ensure that positioning services can be provided under any circumstances.”

He Yaozong quickly took notes, his thoughts gradually becoming clearer: "I understand. We should start by using foreign data and technology to quickly build a platform, while relying on our own strength to fill in domestic data, and on the underlying hardware, we should be compatible with both Beidou and GPS. We should walk on two legs."

“Yes.” He Yuzhu sat back in his chair. “This project will require a large initial investment, will be slow to yield results, and may even result in long-term losses. But it is related to all aspects of future transportation, logistics, urban planning, and even personal travel. It is a true strategic infrastructure. You should treat it as a long-term investment and not worry about short-term gains or losses.”

“Dad, I understand its importance.” He Yaozong nodded solemnly. “Just like when you laid out the communication network. I will go back and select capable personnel to set up the framework first. The technical team can be transferred from the communication R&D department, and the field data collection team can follow the model of the rescue team, recruiting some hardworking young people who are familiar with the local terrain and training them.”

"Okay, you handle the specifics." He Yuzhu waved his hand. "If you encounter any problems you can't solve, come to me. Remember, speed is important, but data quality is the lifeline. It's better to be a little slower than to be inaccurate."

With He Yaozong departing to take up his post, a brand-new, future-oriented business unit began to quietly operate within the Huanghe Group, this giant commercial vessel.

In the early days of the Digital Map Division, the first team of more than 20 young men was sent to various districts of Beijing after a brief training. They were equipped with expensive GPS receivers, handheld terminals (early forms of PDAs, bulky and with limited functions), paper maps and record forms.

The first few days went relatively smoothly. The young men wore work clothes printed with the words "Yellow River Communications," working in pairs. Their main task was to record the road names, directions, intersections, and prominent units and shops along the main roads.

But problems soon arose.

Back in 1999, ordinary people had no concept of "map collection".

Seeing someone holding an unfamiliar electronic device, gesturing at the street and shops, and occasionally taking notes, inevitably arouses suspicion.

One day, on a bustling commercial street in Dongcheng District, team leader Lao Zhang and newcomer Xiao Wang were busy.

Old Zhang operated the GPS to record the route, while Xiao Wang was responsible for marking the location of a well-established restaurant on the roadside using rudimentary software on his PDA.

"Hey, you two, what are you doing?" An old man wearing a white tank top and fanning himself with a palm leaf fan strolled over, frowning as he looked them up and down, his gaze mainly falling on the GPS device with a small antenna in Old Zhang's hand.

Old Zhang quickly smiled apologetically: "Sir, we are from Yellow River Communications, and we are collecting electronic map data."

"Electronic map? What's that?" The old man didn't understand. He pointed his palm-leaf fan at the PDA in Xiao Wang's hand. "Is that black thing a camera? What are you taking pictures of? Are you sent by the shopping mall across the street to investigate?" Several elderly men and women who were cooling off and playing chess nearby also gathered around, their eyes full of scrutiny.

Young Wang, a bit nervous, quickly explained, "We're not taking pictures; we're just recording the location for navigation."

"Navigation? For whom?" The old man became even more wary. "Your equipment looks rather strange. Are you perhaps involved in some kind of espionage activity? This area is all residential!" Several other elderly people around him chimed in with their opinions.
"Exactly, sneaking around!"

"Old Li, go and call Director Liu from the neighborhood committee to come and take a look!"

Should we call the police?

Old Zhang inwardly groaned, then quickly pulled out his work ID and documents stamped by the company: "Grandpa and Grandma, we are a legitimate company. Look, these are our credentials."

The terms "digital map" and "location information" on the letter of introduction were too unfamiliar to the elderly, which only amplified their doubts. Soon, Director Liu of the neighborhood committee was summoned; she was a woman in her fifties with a strict work style.

She carefully checked the documents but still didn't quite understand. However, in a responsible manner, she said, "I've never heard of this job. How about this, don't take any more notes. I'll contact the police station to confirm your identities first."

Old Zhang and Little Wang had no choice but to wait where they were.

A short while later, the local police officer arrived on his bicycle. After learning about the situation, he also found it a bit interesting and reported it to the station via walkie-talkie.

Similar incidents occurred in different districts over the next few days.

Some groups were questioned by mall security guards who suspected them of being competitors trying to steal business information; others were asked to leave by vigilant gatekeepers when they lingered near government offices; the most serious incident involved a group working far outside a military-controlled area (they did not enter, but were just recording on public roads) when they were discovered by patrolling armed police officers. Although they were allowed to leave after their identities were verified, the incident was reported up the chain of command.

The news quickly reached Lao Fan through the public security and internal security systems.

As he listened to his subordinates' report that "multiple organizations reported that unidentified individuals were using suspected detection equipment to record geographic information," and then looked at the company involved—Yellow River Communications—he immediately felt his temples throbbing.

"What is He Yuzhu up to now!" Old Fan rubbed his temples and made a phone call directly to He Yuzhu's study.

"Zhu Zi! Your men are wandering around the streets with some kind of antenna, recording this and that. Now several people have reported this to me! The common people think I'm arresting spies! What kind of electronic map are you making? Can't you at least give me a heads-up beforehand?" Old Fan's tone was filled with helplessness and anger.

He Yuzhu paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then retorted sarcastically, "You don't understand navigation? You don't know GPS? Do you know BeiDou?"

"Uh," Lao Fan knew that this outburst was unfounded. The other party was acting openly and legitimately, with many groups of people, and even carrying work permits and certificates issued by their unit. It was understandable that the subordinates didn't understand, but it was really unacceptable that such a sensitive unit like theirs didn't understand at all.

Old Fan smiled wryly: "It's my fault, I spoke too hastily. But shouldn't you report this to the authorities before you start making this kind of thing?"

"Report? Report to whom? Is there such a department? Give me directions!" He Yuzhu asked three questions in a row, which stumped Lao Fan again.

Hearing He Yuzhu's rapid-fire questions on the other end of the phone, Lao Fan was speechless for a moment.

He rubbed his temples, his tone softening, tinged with helplessness: "Zhu Zi, I'm not trying to stop you from developing this electronic map. Navigation, GPS, BeiDou—of course I know about them! They're good things, and they'll definitely be useful in the future. But the problem is, what you're doing now is causing too much of a stir! The general public doesn't understand, and even the comrades at the grassroots level don't fully grasp it. How can they not be nervous when they see someone carrying unfamiliar devices and recording data everywhere? This involves geographic information; it's not just ordinary commercial activity, it's highly sensitive!"

He Yuzhu calmed down a bit on the other end of the phone, realizing that Lao Fan's concerns were not unfounded.

He pondered for a moment and said, “Old Fan, I understand your difficulties. But we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, can we? Foreign countries are already ahead in this field. If we don’t catch up, are we going to wait until the market is taken over and the standards are set before starting all over again? I’m doing this not for my own little business, but so that we can have a say in this big pie in the future.”

“I understand what you’re thinking,” Old Fan sighed. “But rules are rules, and nothing can be accomplished without rules. Geographic information data, especially precise and wide-ranging data, involves national security and public safety, and we can’t just let the market collect it indiscriminately. You need to give me some time. I also need to report to my superiors and coordinate with relevant departments to see how this matter should be managed, who should be in charge, and what the procedures should be.”

“Okay,” He Yuzhu knew that this matter couldn’t be rushed, and forcing it would only make things worse. “I’ll wait for your news. But Lao Fan, be more efficient. I’ve already deployed all my people and equipment here. I can’t just sit idle or spend all my time explaining things to the neighborhood committee and the police station, can I?”

"I understand, I'll do it as soon as possible." Old Fan hung up the phone and immediately began to handle the matter.

This is indeed a new topic. In the late 1990s, electronic maps and location services were emerging fields globally, and the relevant laws, regulations, and management systems in China were almost nonexistent.

Which department is in charge? What are the data collection standards? What information can be collected, and what is considered sensitive and cannot be touched? How will the security review be conducted? All of these need to be clarified.

Lao Fan first convened a small meeting with experts in relevant fields and departments responsible for security and technical standards to reach a consensus: electronic maps are an important infrastructure for the future information society and must be developed, but not in a disorderly manner; they need to be regulated.

Next, he led multiple rounds of consultations and coordination with the Surveying and Mapping Bureau, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, and relevant departments of the General Staff.

The process was not easy, as each department had its own responsibilities and considerations.

The surveying and mapping bureau believes that this is a new type of surveying and mapping activity and should be included in the scope of surveying and mapping management. However, traditional surveying and mapping management regulations are aimed at professional surveying and mapping teams and results, and lack detailed provisions for this kind of commercial and mass geographic information collection behavior.

Public security and security departments are more concerned about data security and personal privacy, worrying that precise geographic information may be misused or the locations of sensitive facilities may be leaked.

From a national defense and security perspective, relevant departments of the General Staff have imposed strict restrictions on the collection of geographic information around military facilities and critical infrastructure.

After several weeks of repeated discussions and adjustments, a preliminary management framework and coordination mechanism were finally formed.

Old Fan visited the He family again, this time bringing with him a preliminary meeting summary and a message of the meeting's main points.

"Zhu Zi, we have some preliminary opinions from above." After sitting down, Lao Fan got straight to the point. "The principle is to support development and regulate management. The qualification for producing navigation electronic maps for commercial applications will be led by the Surveying and Mapping Bureau, which will work with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, and other departments to establish a joint review mechanism."

He explained in detail: "First, Yellow River Communications needs to apply to the Surveying and Mapping Bureau for a special qualification for 'navigation electronic map production'. The application requires the submission of detailed technical solutions, data security management measures, a confidentiality commitment letter, and background check materials for key personnel."

"Secondly, during the data collection phase, a 'special area list' should be established. The list should be jointly developed by multiple departments, clearly marking areas where data collection is prohibited or requires special approval, such as military management zones, important defense facilities, and sensitive government departments. Data collection personnel must be trained and familiar with these areas, and geofencing should be set up on data collection equipment and technology to avoid accidental entry or data collection."

"Third, data collection and review. The raw data you collect needs to be submitted regularly to a designated technical institution for confidentiality and security review to ensure that it does not contain classified information. Only after the review is passed can it be used to produce publicly sold electronic map products."

Finally, a final review is required before the product is released.

He Yuzhu listened attentively. The process sounded complicated, but it made sense. Setting thresholds and standards for the industry was a good thing in the long run.

"How long does the qualification application take? When will we get the 'Special Area List'?" He Yuzhu asked the key questions.

"Regarding the qualification application, as long as your materials are complete, we will urge the Surveying and Mapping Bureau to open a green channel and expedite the approval process, which is expected to take one to one and a half months. As for the 'Special Area List,'" Old Fan paused, "it involves many departments, so we need to be more cautious. It's estimated that it will take about two months to produce the first version. Before that, your data collection activities must be strictly controlled, temporarily avoiding all clearly marked military zones, core government areas, and any sensitive locations that might cause misunderstandings. Data collection personnel must wear clear work identification and data collection permits, and proactively report their itineraries to the local street offices and police stations to reduce unnecessary trouble."

He Yuzhu nodded: "Okay, let's do it this way. I'll have Yaozong prepare the qualification application materials immediately, and at the same time adjust the current collection plan, focusing on areas with clear and undisputed characteristics, such as commercial districts and main roads. Personnel training and safety education will also follow."

He looked at Lao Fan and said sincerely, "Lao Fan, thank you. Although the process is a bit troublesome, once the rules are established, things will be easier for everyone in the future. This concerns national security, and we at Huanghe will definitely abide by them strictly."

Seeing his cooperation, Lao Fan breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you understand. Zhu Zi, if this is done well, it will not only be a commercial success, but also a contribution to the country's informatization construction. I hope you can set a good example and become a benchmark in the industry."

After seeing Lao Fan off, He Yuzhu immediately summoned He Yaozong and conveyed the management requirements in detail.

After listening, He Yaozong felt that the process had become more complicated, but he also understood that it was a necessary step. "Dad, I will immediately organize people to prepare the qualification application. As for the data collection team, I will have them withdraw and rest for a comprehensive round of safety and confidentiality training, and at the same time, replan the data collection area and route."

"Yes," He Yuzhu instructed, "Tell the people below not to complain. What we are doing now is pioneering a new field and participating in setting the future industry rules. Every step must be taken steadily, and we cannot leave any handle for anyone to use against us. Safety and compliance are the bottom line."

"clear."

In the days that followed, the Digital Map Division of Yellow River Communications temporarily slowed down its large-scale "street sweeping" and instead focused on internal standardization and qualification application.

He Yaozong personally oversaw the preparation of the application materials, ensuring that every document was rigorous and thorough.

The team members then focused on studying relevant laws and regulations, safety rules, and the preliminary "precautions".

On the other hand, under Lao Fan's impetus, the cross-departmental coordination mechanism began to operate, and the formulation of the 'special area list' was underway.

The reason he was so proactive was that Huang He's actions gave him a wake-up call, a big wake-up call. Things are different now than they were decades ago. The equipment is much more advanced. You might think it's a camera, but who knows what it is?
While working on the 'special area list', Lao Fan did something else: he had someone write a plan to ensure that a certain proportion of technical personnel would join their department during the next round of personnel selection, covering multiple fields.

This plan has caused an internal reaction. They used to be the operations department, are they going to be turned into a technology department?
(End of this chapter)