TAIPEI — Taiwan's leading telecom firm on Wednesday denied discriminating against a Falun gong-controlled TV company as the movement said it suspected pressure from China was behind a move not to extend its satellite contract.

Since August 2007, New Tang Dynasty Asia Pacific has broadcast its TV programmes to Taiwan and the Chinese mainland via commercial satellite ST-1, which is jointly owned by Chunghwa Telecom and Singapore Telecommunications.

The firms earlier this month launched ST-2 to replace the ageing ST-1.

Chunghwa said there was insufficient bandwidth on the new satellite and it would not renew New Tang Dynasty's contract after it expires in August.

"We've been trying to solve the issue. But apparently our efforts have not been accepted as the matter has been politicised," said Chen Hui-yen, a spokeswoman for the satellite business division of Chunghwa Telecom which is partially owned by the government.

She said the firm had offered to help New Tang Dynasty secure a similar contract with other satellites available in Taiwan.

"But all of our offers have been turned down," Chen said.

Taiwan Falun Gong spokeswoman Teresa Chu said they suspected pressure from China and interest in the mainland market were behind the firm's decision not to renew the contract.

China outlawed Falun gong as an "evil cult" in 1999 and has since detained or imprisoned tens of thousands of members. The group says its members are tortured for refusing to give up their beliefs.

Ties between Taipei and Beijing have improved markedly since 2008 after President Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang came to power.

(AFP, May 5, 2011)

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