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China was branded a "thuggish regime" by the US State Department after disclosing details of a US diplomat who met with pro-democracy activists.

A spokeswoman for the State Department blasted the nation after it shared the personal details and a photograph of the diplomat for meeting with leaders from a Hong Kong movement.

Morgan Ortagus told a news briefing: "I don't think that leaking an American diplomat's private information, pictures, names of their children, I don't think that is a formal protest, that is what a thuggish regime would do.

"That is not how a responsible nation would behave."

Hong Kong protests - In pictures 20 show all Hong Kong protests - In pictures 1/20 Protesters run as riot police fire tear gas EPA 2/20 Riot police fire tear gas during a mass rally in Yuen Long EPA 3/20 Special Tactical Squad officers attack protesters with batons AP 4/20 Police march to disperse protesters AFP/Getty Images 5/20 Special Tactical Squad officers attack protesters with batons who refused to disperse from a train station AP 6/20 Riot police clash with protesters EPA 7/20 Protesters are seen at the Yuen Long MTR train station AFP/Getty Images 8/20 Police fire tear gas to disperse protesters AFP/Getty Images 9/20 Police stand prior to disperse protesters during a demonstration AFP/Getty Images 10/20 Protesters are seen in a train at the Yuen Long MTR train station AFP/Getty Images 11/20 Protesters are seen in a train as placards are displayed AFP/Getty Images 12/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 13/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 14/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 15/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 16/20 Protesters pour water to a tear gas fired by anti-riot police EPA 17/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 18/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 19/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 20/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 1/20 Protesters run as riot police fire tear gas EPA 2/20 Riot police fire tear gas during a mass rally in Yuen Long EPA 3/20 Special Tactical Squad officers attack protesters with batons AP 4/20 Police march to disperse protesters AFP/Getty Images 5/20 Special Tactical Squad officers attack protesters with batons who refused to disperse from a train station AP 6/20 Riot police clash with protesters EPA 7/20 Protesters are seen at the Yuen Long MTR train station AFP/Getty Images 8/20 Police fire tear gas to disperse protesters AFP/Getty Images 9/20 Police stand prior to disperse protesters during a demonstration AFP/Getty Images 10/20 Protesters are seen in a train at the Yuen Long MTR train station AFP/Getty Images 11/20 Protesters are seen in a train as placards are displayed AFP/Getty Images 12/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 13/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 14/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 15/20 Protesters stand around a damaged car EPA 16/20 Protesters pour water to a tear gas fired by anti-riot police EPA 17/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 18/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 19/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA 20/20 Anti-riot police clash with protesters EPA

This comes after China told the US to "stop interfering" in Hong Kong's affairs, after expressing disdain at a consulate reportedly meeting with a local independence group.

China's foreign ministry urged the US to not meet with "anti-China" rioters and to "immediately" stop "interfering" with affairs in Hong Kong, according to reports.

This comes amid mass protests in Hong Kong, which began as demonstrations against a bill that would have allowed people there to be extradited to mainland China for trial.

However, this has evolved into a broader backlash against the city's government, with demonstrations on an almost daily basis.