Australia's national broadcaster the ABC will ignore the Chinese government's demands not to screen a TV current affairs program that shines a spotlight on their Uighur population.
The program, due to air on the ABC's Foreign Correspondent on Tuesday night, features Beijing-based correspondent Stephen McDonell looking into the Chinese government's treatment of the minority Muslim community in the country's far west.
Footage from the show indicates McDonell was subjected to overt surveillance during his assignment.
ABC's director of communications Michael Millett confirmed officials from the Chinese Embassy requested a meeting in an attempt to have the program pulled.
"I made it clear that the ABC's obligation was to ensure the program was accurate and it would contain the views of all parties, including the Chinese authorities," he told AAP.
Mr Millett wouldn't confirm media reports Chinese officials advised the ABC that relations between the two countries could be damaged if the program was shown.
"I'm not going to go into detail on what they said, but they certainly made it clear that they weren't happy. You can read into that what you want," he said.
Mr Millett said it was the first time Chinese authorities had pressured the ABC not to run a program since they screened the movie The 10 Conditions of Love five years ago.
That movie also focused on the Uighur population, as it followed the personal and political struggle of female leader Rebiya Kadeer.
"The Chinese authorities have never been backwards in expressing their view about issues that they think affect them," Mr Millett said.
"But the ABC is an independent media organisation and it will do what it thinks is in the best interest of its audiences."
It's understood the Australian government has not been approached by Chinese authorities in regards to the Foreign Correspondent program.
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