NEW YORK (AP) — Plans to light the top of the Empire State Building in red and yellow to honor communist China's 60th anniversary were criticized Wednesday as inappropriate for an icon in the land of the free.



Different colors are routinely used to mark holidays and big events, but opponents question whether it's right to commemorate such a sensitive political issue, particularly when the country has such a poor human rights record.



About 20 supporters of Tibet, which has been ruled by China since shortly after communists took charge in 1949, protested outside the building during a ceremonial lighting of a scale model inside the lobby. They chanted "No to China's empire; free Tibet now," and held signs reading, "Empire State Building celebrating 60 years of China's oppression."



Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, called the lighting tribute "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system."



"On the one hand, it's a great public relations coup for the Chinese state," Tethong said as tourists gawked at the protesters. "But on the other hand, it's sure to backfire because the American public and the global public will speak against it."



At the ceremony, building manager Joseph Bellina called the lights a high honor and said he was "proud" of the relationship between "our countries and our people."



Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu, who pulled the switch on the glass-encased model, said he was "honored and delighted."



He said China's reforms of the last 30 years ago had led to greater openness and "tremendous change."



Keyu and Bellina didn't address critics and declined to answer questions.