A veteran journalist says Vanuatu has barred him from re-entering its borders because of his coverage highlighting Beijing's influence over politics in the Pacific nation.

Key points: Dan McGarry says journalists in the Pacific face threats of violence

Dan McGarry says journalists in the Pacific face threats of violence China is a major aid donor and investor in Vanuatu

China is a major aid donor and investor in Vanuatu Vanuatu's PM slammed Mr McGarry for reporting on an incident in July

Dan McGarry, a Canadian citizen, was the media director for the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper before his work visa renewal was denied earlier this month.

The Government of Vanuatu has claimed his application was rejected because it was deemed that his job should be held by a local citizen.

But Mr McGarry, who has lived in the country for 16 years, told the ABC's PM program that he believes the decision was politically motivated.

He recently flew to Brisbane for a forum about media freedom in the Pacific, but when he sought to return home to Vanuatu over the weekend on a visitor visa, he was denied boarding.

"The Virgin Australia staff told me they were not allowed to board me following an order issued by the Department of Immigration," he said.

"It was just a blanket order — that I was not to be allowed on board a plane from any port of call into Vanuatu until further notice."

'If you don't like it, go home'

Mr McGarry told PM he believes Vanuatu's refusal to return is motivated by the Government seeking to silence critical reporting about Chinese influence.

Vanuatu is one of the largest recipients of Chinese development assistance in the Pacific, according to analysis by the Lowy Institute.

In July, the Daily Post covered the arrests of six people of Chinese heritage who were reportedly detained without charge, denied legal representation and later whisked onto a charter flight by plain-clothed Chinese authorities and never seen again.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 9 seconds 1 m 9 s Former Tuvaluan leader calls China's Pacific influence 'disturbing'

"We covered it as a very important story which called into question the Government's willingness to follow rule of law," Mr McGarry told PM, adding that Prime Minister Charlot Salwai later summoned him to express disappointment and filed a formal complaint with the Media Association of Vanuatu over "negative reporting".

"He said I was too negative, he said: 'if you don't like it here you can go home'," Mr McGarry said.

"It's a tough gig working in the Pacific," Mr McGarry said.

"Some of us are facing physical violence. I heard a story from one person who said he'd had a gun pointed to his head and was told to shut up and go home."

But Mr McGarry said he was not deterred and is determined to return to Vanuatu.

"My family's there, it's my home," he said. "If I walk away and watch the country slide away from democracy, how am I going to sleep at night?"

'Grave' implications for press freedom in Vanuatu

Mr McGarry is currently staying at the Brisbane home of his friend, Pacific expert Tess Newton Cain.

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"It has been a trying weekend … he's obviously under a lot of stress," she told Pacific Beat.

Ms Newton Cain said that Vanuatu's refusal to let Mr McGarry return under the "pretence" of administrative issues had been "completely stripped away" by the fact he was unable to join his flight home.

"This is now a purely political situation," she said.

The ABC contacted the Government of Vanuatu for comment but had not received a response by deadline.

Samisoni Pareti, a senior journalist from Fiji who also attended the Brisbane media freedom, said it was too early to claim politics were involved.

"Was it to do with, a merely administrative matter … or is it wider reasons behind this?"

The decision has been criticised by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), however, as signalling a "grave" situation for media freedom in the Pacific.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 12 minutes 16 seconds 12 m China Watch: "Never telling the whole truth" ( Sean Mantesso )

"Make no mistake, this work permit cancellation is just a way of punishing a journalist whose investigative reporting annoyed the Government," said Daniel Bastard, head of the Asia-Pacific desk at RSF, in a statement which called upon Mr Salwai to "immediately reconsider a decision that is both mean and unjust".

"This crude violation of press freedom fuels grave concern about the situation throughout the Pacific region and must not serve as an example," Mr Bastard added.