China ordered the U.S. to close the Chengdu consulate on Friday. It was in retaliation for a U.S. order to shut the Chinese consulate in Houston.
days earlier. The U.S. had said that the directive to close the Chinese consulate was made to protect American intellectual property and the private information of its citizens — a decision that China condemned.
The U.S. consulate in Chengdu was established in 1985 and covered the autonomous region of Tibet, the municipality of Chongqing, and Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. In its statement, the U.S. State Department said the consulate "has stood at the center of our relations with the people in Western China, including Tibet, for 35 years," the AP reported.
With the closure of the Chengdu premise, the U.S. now has five remaining consulates in Greater China, in addition to its embassy in the Chinese capital of Beijing.The tit-for-tat consulate closures come as relations between the world's top two economies head toward their worst in decades. In recent months, the two countries clashed over a range of issues including technology, the origin of the deadly coronavirus and the autonomy of Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
"China is a defender. But if Washington is so determined to push China-US ties in the worst direction, China will not be able to change the trend on its own," it added.WATCH: China retaliates against U.S. for shuttering Houston consulate
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. consulate in Chengdu shuts after China orders closureBeijing announced the U.S. consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu was closed as of 10 a.m. (0200 GMT) on Monday, after it ordered the facility be shut in retaliation for China being ousted from its consulate in Houston, Texas.
Read more »
Tight security outside U.S. Chengdu consulate after China orders closureSecurity was tight outside the U.S. consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday as staff inside prepared to leave, a day after China ordered it to close in response to a U.S. order for China to shut its consulate in Houston.
Read more »
Tight security outside U.S. Chengdu consulate after China orders closureSecurity was tight outside the U.S. consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday as staff inside prepared to leave, a day after China ordered it to close in response to a U.S. order for China to shut its consulate in Houston.
Read more »
Flag lowered as US departs Chengdu consulate in ChinaThe American flag has been taken down at a U.S. consulate in southwestern China, according to state media, as officials vacate the premises on China's order. The closing comes in retaliation for a U.S. order to shutter the Chinese Consulate in Houston.
Read more »
US closes consulate in Chengdu, China, after Houston orderBREAKING: The U.S. has closed its consulate in Chengdu after China ordered it shut in retaliation for a U.S. order to close the Chinese Consulate in Houston. The State Department expressed disappointment at China’s decision.
Read more »
Police corral crowds as movers enter US Consulate in ChinaThree medium-size moving trucks entered a U.S. Consulate in southwest China, as its impending closure over rising bilateral tensions drew a steady stream of onlookers for the second straight day.
Read more »