SUVA -- China's influence in the Pacific regional countries, including Fiji, has grown, local radio Fiji Village reported here Friday.

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This is evident as China surpasses imports from New Zealand to the island countries, said the radio, quoting a local bank's economic and global market research report as saying that China has become a dominating force in the Pacific with its growth in the region reaching an all-time high.

There was an average of 30 percent growth of China's financial contribution to the Pacific region from 2001 to 2010 from 180 million Fiji dollars ($97 million) to 1.5 billion Fiji dollars ($800 million ), said the research report by ANZ, one of the biggest commercial banks in Fiji.

In Fiji, Chinese companies have had huge influence by winning bids to construct roads and bridges, and opening up mines, said the Fiji Village.

China has been assisting Fiji mainly through soft loans for infrastructure construction, it added.