The Chinese VLBI Network consists of 4 stations. The oldest radio telescope is Shanghai 25m telescope which was constructed at 1987 and then started international VLBI observation. At 1993, another radio telescope was constructed in Urumqi and then the Shanghai and Urumqi station is a member of European VLBI Network (EVN). At 2006, Chinese astronomers constructed a new and big dish radio telescope near Beijing (a diameter of 50 m) and at Kunming (40 m). In the present, the CVN mainly operates for determination of trajectory of Chinese lunar satellite "Chang'e", however the astronomical VLBI observation has already started. Because there are plans to construct a new and bigger radio telescopes in China, the CVN will be a important VLBI network in the future.
The Shanghai and Urumqi station is a member of European VLBI Network (EVN) and both telescope play a role as longest baseline station. Other CVN stations, Beijing and Kunming, have not been a member of EVN yet, however these telescopes performed EVN test observation. Although the main purpose of CVN is an operation of the Chinese lunar satellite "Chang'e", the CVN also starts to perform astronomical observation. The CVN is important for longer baseline of EAVN, especially Urumqi and Kunming station.
Because now there are some plans to construct huge radio telescopes in China, for example Shanghai new 65 m telescope, higher sensitivity VLBI observation will be able to perform by such a huge telescope in near future.
| 1987 | Shanghai 25 m radio telescope was constructed |
| 1993 | Urumqi 25 m radio telescope was constructed |
| 2006 | Beijing 50 m radio telescope was constructed |
| Kunming 40 m radio telescope was constructed | |
| 2007 | Chang'e I satellite launched and CVN performed the operation |
| 2010 | Chang'e II satellite launched and CVN performed the operation |