Secretary of State John Kerry met at the State Department with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi as the stand-off between students and authorities intensified in the Chinese territory the stiffest challenge yet to Beijing's authority since China took control of the former British colony in 1997.
The protesters oppose Beijing's decision in August that all candidates in an inaugural 2017 election for the territory's top post must be approved by a committee of mostly pro-Beijing local elites. Tens of thousands of people have rallying against that decision in Hong Kong's streets since late last week.
Wang pushed back. He said the protests are "China's internal affairs" and called on other countries to respect its sovereignty.
"I believe for any country, for any society, no one will allow those illegal acts that violate public order. That's the situation in the United States, and that's the same situation in Hong Kong," he said, adding that Hong Kong's administration has the capability to handle the situation in accordance to law.
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Protesters warned today they will step up their actions if the territory's top official doesn't resign by Thursday, possibly occupying several important government buildings.
Chinese state media indicated the government may be losing patience with the protesters. China's main TV broadcaster CCTV said all Hong Kong residents should support authorities to "deploy police enforcement decisively" and "restore the social order in Hong Kong as soon as possible."
Wang is visiting Washington to prepare for a planned visit by President Obama to a summit of Asia-Pacific economies being hosted by China in November.