Washington - China's human rights record worsened in 2008 as the government stepped up crackdowns on dissidents and minorities in Tibet, with abuses peaking around high profile events like the Summer Olympics, the US State Department said Wednesday.

China continued to tighten restrictions on religious freedom in Tibet and in Uighur areas, and monitor, harass and arrest political activists, journalists and lawyers, the department's annual human rights report said.

"The government of China's human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas," the report said.

The report's release comes days after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton returned from her first trip abroad, which concluded with a stop in Beijing.

Clinton drew criticism from human rights groups after saying the United States will not allow human rights concerns to interfere with work on critical issues such as rescuing the global economy, global warming and dealing with security threats.

Clinton introduced the report at a press conference and stated her commitment to human rights without specifically addressing China.

"The promotion of human rights is essential to our foreign policy," she said.

China launched a crackdown in Tibet in February and March last year that prompted worldwide outrage only months before it hosted the Olympics. The worldwide tour of the Olympic torch was greeted in several cities with violent protests. (dpa)