Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong Thursday to denounce China's human rights record as the country celebrated 60 years of Communist Rule.
The demonstrators accused China of making little progress on rights and democracy despite its economic and military achievements.
Some protesters also criticized China's military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in June 1989. China's government sent tanks and troops into Tiananmen Square to crush weeks of student and worker protests, killing hundreds.
In Washington, U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (a Republican from Florida) urged China to respect human rights and release political prisoners, including democratic activist Liu Xiaobo.
Chinese authorities arrested Liu in June after accusing him of inciting subversion against the state. He had co-authored a petition to the government calling for democratic freedom.
Elsewhere, police detained more than 40 Tibeten exiles demonstrating near a Chinese embassy building in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. The protesters demanded a "free Tibet."
Nepal is home to about 20,000 Tibetans who began fleeing there after the failed 1959 uprising against China.
Nepal says it will not tolerate anti-China protests, viewing Tibet as part of China.
The United States and other countries have pressured China to move toward human rights reforms.
Earlier this year, China released its first-ever human rights action plan, promising citizens improved legal protections, health care and wages.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
