BEIJING, May 5 -- China has lodged solemn representation to the United States after the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom listed China as a "country of particular concern" in its annual report.

"The Chinese government fully respects and protects its citizens' freedom of religion in line with the law, and Chinese citizens enjoy the rights to full religious freedom in accordance with the law," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told a regular news briefing on Thursday.

"The U.S. ignores this fact and releases reports repeatedly to distort and attack China's religious policies and status. China firmly opposes the U.S. move and has lodged solemn representation to the U.S. side," Hong said.

He urged the United States to respect facts, discard bias, look at religious policies and status in China in a fair and objective way and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs under the pretext of religion.

The spokesperson said the United States should reflect on its own problems rather than pointing the finger at others.