China and the US were embroiled in a fresh argument yesterday, with Beijing accusing Washington of using its annual report on human rights violations as an excuse for interfering in Chinese internal affairs.

The US state department report, issued on Wednesday, said China's human rights record had worsened in some areas last year and that violations rose in March during protests in Tibetan regions and in August at the Olympics. The report also criticised the use of coerced confessions from prisoners, extrajudicial killings, torture and forced labour camps.