DPA: Taiwan Asks China to Stop Hijacking its Radio Programs

September 27, 2002,

(Clearwisdom.net)

Taiwan on Friday accused China of jamming Taiwan radio stations, and asked China to take quick action to stop the interference.

The allegation follows China's accusation earlier this week that Taiwan supporters of China's spiritual group Falun Gong have [tapped into] Chinese TV signals. "Since last year, China's official radio stations have overridden seven Taiwan commercial radio stations, including Taiwan's largest radio station, Broadcasting Corp of China," the cabinet's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.

"Our broadcasters have protested to China several times but China has not solved it yet," it said.

The council urged China to abide by International Telecommunication Union rules and regulate China's radio broadcast transmission.

As to China's accusation that Taiwan Falun Gong followers have [tapped into] Chinese satellite TV, the council said Taiwan has not found anything but will continue to look for the illegal transmission.

To avoid misunderstandings, the council asked China to resume talks between China's Association Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

"If China attaches importance to the issue (interference of Chinese TV), China should seek help from Taiwan through ARATS and SEF. It is unwise to bypass this shortcut," the statement continued.

ARATS and SEF held the first dialogue between Taiwan and China in 1993 and conducted a series of talks under the dialogue's framework.

China halted the talks in 1995 to protest former President Lee Teng-hui's visiting the United States, accusing Lee of promoting independence for Taiwan on the trip.