By Julia Benarrous
https://muckrack.com/julia-benarrous
US-China relations deteriorated in a Cold War-style standoff as Beijing ordered a US consulate to shut in retaliation for the closure of its Houston mission — accused of being a hub for espionage and intellectual property theft.
Chinese officials were seen loading large sacks of objects and documents onto U-Haul trucks and tossing more into dumpster bins at the country’s large mission in the Texas city, given a Friday deadline to vacate the building.
Friday night, a State Department spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the PRC Consulate General in Houston is closed.”
After the last of Beijing diplomats departed the complex, law enforcement cordoned off the area and US officials were seen entering the consulate after using tools to force open a door.
In the Chinese city of Chengdu, in southwestern Sichuan province, some two dozen police were stationed in front of the US consulate as onlookers took photos before being prodded to move along, with the deadline for the Americans to vacate unclear.
https://hongkongfp.com/2020/07/25/chengdu-consulate-readies-for-closure-as-us-china-relations-deteriorate-into-cold-war-style-standoff/