Australia has joined the US, Japan and nine European nations in condemning China's deteriorating human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In a joint statement delivered on Thursday in Geneva, the countries expressed concern over the ongoing crackdown on human rights activists and lawyers operating on the mainland, where many individuals have been denied access to legal counsel or visits from family. 
The statement also highlighted the case of five Hong Kong publishers and booksellers critical of China's leadership who went missing in Hong Kong and Thailand, only to reappear in detention on the mainland. The cases have troubled international observers who fear the disappearances are evidence of China's security apparatus operating covertly outside the mainland.
"We remain concerned about the unexplained recent disappearances and apparent coerced returns of Chinese and foreign citizens from outside mainland China," the statement, delivered by US ambassador to the council Keith Harper, read. "These extraterritorial actions are unacceptable, out of step with the expectations of the international community, and a challenge to the rules-based international order.
"We also note with concern the increasing number of individuals whose confession have been aired on state media prior to any indictment or judicial process."
Among the booksellers, Gui Minhai, a naturalised Swedish national, and Lee Bo, who holds British citizenship, both made televised "confessions", which might have been coerced.
The disappearance of the Hong Kong booksellers has sparked protests and widespread alarm in a city already sharply divided over concerns of creeping mainland influence.
In his televised CCTV confession, Mr Lee said he returned to the mainland on his own accord to co-operate with investigations and urged the British government not to intervene. But an email from Mr Lee to Mr Gui's daughter, Angela, obtained by the South China Morning Post showed he feared Mr Gui was "taken by special agents from China for political reasons", before he himself disappeared.
Two other missing booksellers, Cheung Chi-ping and Lui Por, were ushered back to Hong Kong to ask police to drop their missing person cases before being taken back to the mainland hours later, the Post reported.
Thursday's joint statement drew a sharp rejection from China's representative to Geneva, Fu Cong, who accused the US of hypocrisy and crimes, including the rape and murder of civilians.
China has also previously criticised Australia's refugee policies and treatment of its Indigenous population.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop raised Australia's concerns over the missing Hong Kong booksellers and broader human rights concerns with counterpart Wang Yi during a visit to Beijing last month.