US has urged China to respect civil liberties in Hong Kong, including press freedom, as the territory marked the 20th anniversary of its handover to Beijing's rule.<br/><br/>State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, the United States admires the city's outstanding achievements, which are the result of its high degree of autonomy, its economic and personal freedoms, and its respect for rule of law.<br/><br/>Recent incidents in Hong Kong, including the disappearance of five publishers who were known for salacious titles about the Chinese leadership, have sparked fears that Beijing is choking the city's freedoms. <br/><br/>Hong Kong was handed back to China by colonial ruler Britain in 1997 under a one country, two systems formula designed to protect its freedoms and way of life.