The outlawed Falun Gong movement has been accused of hijacking the country's main satellite television station and disrupting news reports during the Shenzhou V mission.
The Xinnuo Satellite 2A and 2B transmission system was 'attacked by illegal TV signals' transmitted by Falun Gong from 6pm to 7.45pm on Wednesday, the Ministry of Information Industry said. The attack allegedly disrupted China Central Television's report on the launch of Shenzhou V and other broadcasts.
Xinhua said the pirate broadcast, which lasted over 18 minutes, appeared to have originated from Taiwan. The report did not provide details of the material aired during the disruptions or which regions were specifically affected, but said the incident proved the 'anti-social nature' of Falun Gong.
Representatives of the group in Hong Kong said they were not aware of the action, but condoned it as a sign of bravery. In August, the group claimed responsibility for taking control of China's Sino Satellite system twice in one week.
