US lawmakers called on Taiwan to ensure the continued operation of a Falun Gong-linked television network as the spiritual movement is concerned its satellite contract could be terminated as a result of pressure from China.
New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) makes its way onto some Chinese televisions through a commercial satellite operated by -Chunghwa Telecom, in which Taiwan’s government is the largest stakeholder. The contract runs out in August and the company has said it would not renew it.
In letters this week to Taipei authorities, several members of the US House of Representatives known for their support of Taiwan voiced concern that political considerations may have been part of the decision.
“As a supporter of a robust bilateral relationship between our two governments, I am concerned that Chunghwa Telecom’s decision could reflect poorly on the government of Taiwan,” wrote Representative Shelley Berkley, a member of US President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party from Nevada.
Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat from Virginia, urged a “speedy resolution” of the issue and said that because of the -government stake in the company. “any decision made by the satellite company could be perceived as official [Taiwan] policy.”
Chunghwa Telecom has said that there was insufficient bandwidth on the new satellite it launched with Singapore Telecommunications and that it had offered to help NTDTV find a new satellite.
“We’ve been trying to solve the issue, but apparently our efforts have not been accepted as the matter has been politicized,” spokeswoman Chen Hui-yen said earlier in Taipei.
Media rights group Reporters Without Borders has cast doubt on the explanation. NTDTV focuses on news and cultural programming often unavailable in communist China, which strictly controls the media.
Samuel Zhou (周世雨), executive vice president of New Tang Dynasty, said that the network wanted to stay with Chunghwa Telecom as the Taiwanese government stake ensured more protection than purely commercial satellites, which could face intense pressure.
Zhou, who recently visited Taiwan for talks on the dispute, said Taiwan had a special role to play as a democracy in the Chinese world.
“It’s good to have economic development. There is nothing to blame, but still the Taiwanese government should not yield and take a step back on democracy,” said Zhou, who is based in New York.
Falun Gong’s Buddhist-inspired teachings focus on meditative, martial arts-like exercises. China banned Falun Gong in 1999 and declared it an “evil cult” after growing alarmed at its organizational clout.
The group says its practitioners are treated harshly in China and even killed.
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