China attacked over Fiji

SUVA - China has come under fire for "favouring" Fiji's undemocratic military Government and ignoring the country's breaches of human rights.

An Amnesty International report hits out at the Asian superpower for its role in what Amnesty calls Fiji's systematic human rights violations.

Report author Apolosi Bose delivered the verdict that Fiji was caught in a downward spiral of human rights violations and repression.

"Only concerted international pressure can break this cycle."

He said the military regime, in power since staging a December 2006 coup, had increased its abuses since a crackdown in April when it abrogated the constitution, sacked the judiciary and severely restricted media reporting.

"Security forces in Fiji have become increasingly menacing towards people who oppose the regime, including journalists and human rights defenders," Bose said.

The report demands international action, particularly from China, now one of Fiji's biggest foreign donors.

Donna Guest, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific deputy director, said Beijing had hugely increased its financial assistance to Fiji since the 2006 coup, and it was time to use its influence for good.

"China has long claimed that it doesn't interfere in other countries' affairs but, in Fiji, China has clearly favoured one side of a long political dispute and in the process ignored the country's human rights situation," she said.

Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth last week.

- AAP