Murdoch 'said sorry to Beijing'

Rupert Murdoch apologised to the Chinese government for a speech saying satellite television was a threat to undemocratic regimes, according to a new book.

According to Bruce Dover, a former vice-president at News Corp who was responsible for China, the company's boss wrote in 1997 saying sorry for any "misunderstanding" over the claim he made four years earlier.

In a letter Murdoch also told president Jiang Zemin and premier Li Peng he was "a good friend of China", Dover says in his book.

Peng was apparently "incandescent with rage" at the original speech. Later he banned the Chinese from using satellite dishes - keeping News Corp out of the lucrative market.

Murdoch then tried to court Beijing, according to Dover, and eventually wrote saying he was not referring to China with the comment.

He is said to have written: "I apologise for any misunderstanding this may have caused. I remain firmly committed to China and the development of the Chinese economy."

In Rupert’s Adventures in China, to be published next month, Dover documents his boss's other moves to please China. He has previously been criticised for bowing to the undemocratic regime in return for access.