Human Rights Watch says, China has been forcibly returning some of the ethnic-Kachin refugees who fled fighting in Myanmar. The group says, Chinese authorities have repatriated about 300 refugees to Kachin state, where heavy fighting broke out last year between the Myanmar's army and Kachin rebels. The report says, as many as 10,000 Kachin people have fled the conflict for China's southern Yunnan province, where they are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. 

Human Rights Watch added that China has generally tolerated refugees from Kachin, but said, they lack adequate water, food and other basic supplies. It also said that Kachin people are routinely harassed by local authorities and exploited by Chinese employers. The group urged China to provide temporary protection and allow humanitarian agencies unhindered access to the refugees. It also wants Beijing to adhere to international treaties that prohibit forced returns of refugees.