NGO director says they are outside the scope of China's influence

With growing international interest in the Pacific, a Pacific director of an NGO, or Non-Government Organisation, says external influence on NGOs is much less likely.

Director for the Pacific Island Association for NGOs (PIANGO), Emeline Siale Ilolahia, is in Wellington to address the Council for International Development conference as a keynote speaker.

Ilolahia says despite worries that the United States and China are exerting too much influence on Pacific nations, NGOs are less likely to be pressured.

"I would say that this is the only sector that you could hardly find that they'd receive funds from China," Ilolahia says.

She says New Zealand, Australia and others have put in an effort to ensure NGOs "follow due diligence," and although they struggle with it they appreciate being held accountable.

"When you see that China does not recognise the democracy when it comes to their own people, then we don't like to get resources from that kind of environment.

"What supports our community needs to come from a genuine source because it's peoples money."

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