US asks China to shut its consulate in Houston in 72 hours

In an unprecedented move, the US on Wednesday abruptly asked China to shut its consulate in Houston within 72 hours.

Confirming this on social media, Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing said, “The US asked China to close the Consulate General in Houston in 72 hours. This is a crazy move.”

Describing it as an “unprecedented escalation”, China’s foreign ministry said the move was unilaterally initiated by the US and Beijing would “react with firm countermeasures” if the “erroneous decision” was not revoked.

As per the New York Post, Houston police had received reports that Chinese officials were burning documents at the Consulate on Tuesday evening. A news reporter’s video showed several people surrounding multiple trash cans with documents on fire, in the consulate’s courtyard.

Houston firefighters and police, the New York Post said, responded to the fire at the Consulate General office but did not have the authority to access the building.

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