Washington, March 23 (Bloomberg) -- News Corp. executive James Murdoch called the Falun Gong spiritual movement a ``dangerous'' and ``apocalyptic cult'' and criticized the Western press for what he called its negative coverage of China, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Murdoch, 28, made the remarks during a speech this week at the Milken Institute's annual business conference in Beverly Hills, California, the newspaper reported. His father, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, was in the audience during the speech, the Times said. James Murdoch is an executive vice president of the media company and chief executive of its Star TV unit, which operates a satellite-television service in Asia.
Chinese authorities banned Falun Gong in July 1999, calling it an ``evil cult'' that was plotting to overthrow the country's socialist system. The government became alarmed in April 1999 when 10,000 followers gathered in Tiananmen Square.
Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington director for Human Rights Watch Asia, told the Times that James Murdoch's remarks were ``quite appalling'' because they echoed what he called Chinese government rhetoric.
Falun Gong members, who follow a mixture of Taoist and Buddhist doctrines and practice meditation and exercise, have continued to defy China's ban on the organization.
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