Beijing doesn't want anyone Peking at uncensored telly

NOT CONTENT with aiming their missiles at little neighbour Taiwan, it seems the Beijing government's bully boys have now sucessfully twisted the arm of European satellite operator Eutelsat.

In just two days' time, Eutelsat will pull the plug on transmissions of fledgling Chinese-language satellite channel NTDTV - not because the TV station has done anything wrong, but because Beijing doesn't want its shores polluted by anything it can't censor.

Up until now anyone in China wanting to watch NTDTV (New Tang Dynasty Television) has had to so secretly after first investing in a satellite dish wired up to a telly that's preferably hidden in a subterranean cave. But even all that effort will be to no avail when on Friday Paris-based Eutelstat ends its agreement to broadcast NTDTV into China, even though its the only non-government controlled, Chinese language station available to the nation's fact-starved millions.

Why is Eutelsat doing this? It won't give a reason, but word has it that Beijing has warned it that, if doesn't pull the plug, it won't be granted rights to broadcast the 2008 Olympics.

There's also the fact that the French are leading the EU to lift its arms embargo on China soon, paving the way for some tasty new business, while one of Eutelsat's affiliates has already clinched a deal with China's Ministry of Information (sic) to supply broadband.

Come the 2008 Olympics there might even be a new sporting event - jumping though the Beijing hoop. µ