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WELSH Assembly ministers must speak out strongly against human rights abuses in China before the Olympic Games, Amnesty International says today.

Otherwise the Assembly Government risks giving "tacit endorsement" to abuses being committed in preparation for the Games.

The Assembly Government has official links with Chongqing, a city-province of 31m people in central China.

An agreement signed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan commits the two Governments to working together in "economic development, education and training, the environment, culture, governance and agriculture."

Mr Morgan argued that as international relations was not a devolved matter,it was not his responsibility to raise matters of human rights.

Cathy Owens, Amnesty's programme director for Wales said: "It's a big export market for us in Wales, and more openness has led to the Chinese making some progress on human rights, but that progress has been slow, and I think people in Wales would be shocked at the day to day stories of abuse and mistreatment in Chongqing."

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