The BBC has “strongly” condemned news in China that World Service English satellite frequencies are being jammed.
The corporation cannot "definitively" attribute the source of the jamming, but said “the extensive and co-ordinated efforts are indicative of a well-resourced country such as China”.
Peter Horrocks, director of BBC global news, said: “The jamming of shortwave transmissions is being timed to cause maximum disruption to BBC World Service English broadcasts in China.
“The deliberate and co-ordinated efforts by authorities in countries such as China and Iran illustrate the significance and importance of the role the BBC undertakes to provide impartial and accurate information to audiences around the world.”
Previous instances of satellite service jamming have been reported by the BBC to have affected BBC Persian transmissions in Iran and during the Cold War.
A BBC statement said: “The BBC strongly condemns this action, which is designed to disrupt audiences’ free access to news and information.”
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