US asks China to close its Consulate General in Houston in 72 hours

Washington D.C. [US], July 22 (ANI): US has asked China to close its Consulate in Houston in 72 hours.
Hu Xijin, Editor-in-chief of China‘s state-run Global Times in a tweet said: “The US asked China to close Consulate General in Houston in 72 hours. This is a crazy move.”
Earlier in the day, US media had reported that Police and fire officials in Houston responded to reports that documents were being burned in courtyard of Consulate General of China in Houston.
Relations between US and China have worsened in recent times over a range of issues.
China‘s move to impose national security law in Hong Kong, its human rights violation in Xinjiang and territorial aggression in South China Sea have all drawn fierce criticism from Washington.
Accusing China of bullying smaller countries, US Defence Secretary Mark T Esper on Tuesday vowed to deter against China‘s “coercive behaviour” in the South China Sea.

Beijing calls on US to abolish ‘revolting’ decision to close Chinese Consulate in Houston, vows retaliation

Beijing [China], July 22 (Sputnik/ANI): China is calling on the United States to immediately abolish the decision to close China‘s Consulate General in the city of Houston, the Foreign Ministry‘s spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Global Times editor-in-chief wrote on Twitter that the US government had ordered closing the diplomatic mission within 72 hours.
“This is a US unilateral political provocation, it is a grave violation of the international law, the key regulations related to international relations and the bilateral consular agreement between China and the US. China firmly condemns this revolting and unjustified move, undermining the Chinese-US relations … China calls on the US to immediately abolish this erroneous decision,” Wang said at a briefing.
If the decision is not canceled, China will certainly retaliate, the diplomat warned. (Sputnik/ANI)

(ANI)