(Clearwisdom.net) On the eve of the Olympic Games, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) coerced Eutelsat, a European satellite company, to cut off the NTDTV broadcast signal into China. China broke its promise to improve human rights and seriously infringed the right of receiving broadcasting in Mainland China and Asia. The incident received wide attention from all circles in Taiwan. On the morning of July 31, 2008, Association of Taiwan Journalists, Taiwan Labor Front, businessmen and others held a press conference to condemn Eutelsat for yielding to the CCP and shutting down NTDTV. They called for the international community to stop the CCP's suppression of NTDTV and freedom of news.

Professor Ming Chu-cheng, a representative of NTDTV, said NTDTV was the only uncensored independent Chinese language TV channel people in Mainland China could receive. It is very important for the people in Mainland China. Eutelsat shut down NTDTV under the excuse of technical difficulty on June 18. However, evidence showed CCP intervention. The goal was related to the CCP's tightening of freedom of speech before the Olympic Games.

Mr. Wang Wen-cheng, founder of No Name restaurant chain, attended the conference to show support of NTDTV. Wang's eight-year-long investment in Mainland China ended up with 100 million Yuan loss due to conspiracy of police, government and company employees. After he fled back to Taiwan and filed complaints with the government, he found NTDTV was the only media that dared to give it a fair report. He said, "The media in Taiwan dare not to report extensively on Taiwanese business losses due to CCP repression."

According to an audio recording released by World Organization to Investigate Persecution of Falun Gong, the Chinese Ambassador to Italy, Sun Yuxi, admitted having pressured the president and vice president of Eutelsat and promised them with business with Chinese Aerospace and Aeronautics Industry Group. Sun also encouraged Eutelsat to "promote China positively."

The audience burst into an uproar after listening to the recording. Secretary General of Association of Taiwan Journalists Ms. Liu Jya-yun said the Freedom House ranked France as the 40th and mainland China 192^nd as for freedom of press. She was shocked the Eutelsat, as a media company in free society, was willing to be controlled by a country which suppresses freedom of speech.

She said the Mainland media uniform-voice type of reporting on the Sichuan earthquake made her worry the Taiwan media was brainwashed before they knew it. According to her investigation, the CCP monitors news in Taiwan 24 hours a day. As soon as any negative report comes out, they pressure the reporters in Mainland China or even call the media in Taiwan. She said, "It is horrible! It is hard to imagine. But I could be imprisoned any time when I collect news in Mainland China." She said the Association of Taiwan Journalists would write to Freedom House and request their consideration of the Eutelsat incident during the next ranking.

Mr. Sun Yo-lien, Director of Taiwan Labor Front and Spokesperson of Taiwan Free Burma Network, recognized NTDTV's all-around reports on human rights. He said, "I often forward NTDTV reports to my friends around the world. It is a pity my mails to Mainland China were bounced back. The CCP's suppression of human right is very strict."

Sun said international human right organizations have launched campaigns to boycott the Olympic Games and sponsors. He stressed that if the issue with Eutelsat couldn't be resolved successfully, they would add Eutelsat to the boycott list. It would remind international enterprises of their duty to respect and uphold human rights.