It is an unprecedented escalation. China on Friday ordered the closure of an American consulate, responding to the United States three days after Washington's decision to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, amid accusations of espionage.
The Americans will have to close their diplomatic representation in the large city of Chengdu (southwest), announced the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the latest avatar of a cold war-like escalation between the two giants of the Pacific. This decision constitutes "a legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures of the United States", underlined in a press release the ministry.
Beijing calls on Washington "to create the conditions necessary for bilateral relations to return to normal"
Chinese diplomacy did not specify when the consulate should close its doors. In the case of Houston, the Trump administration only gave Chinese diplomats 72 hours to pack up. "The present situation of Sino-American relations does not correspond to the wishes of China and the United States is entirely responsible for it", denounced Beijing, calling on Washington to "create the conditions necessary for the bilateral relations to return to normal" .
Beijing had already announced retaliation against the closure of its consulate in the large city of Texas (south) if Washington did not reverse its decision. In addition to its embassy in Washington, China has five consulates in the United States, including Houston. And the United States has six consulates in mainland China (Beijing, Canton, Shanghai, Shenyang, Chengdu, Wuhan) as well as one in Hong Kong.
Tensions fueled by trade disputes and the Covid-19 crisis
Sino-U.S. Tension, already fueled by trade disputes and mutual accusations over the origin of Covid-19, has escalated in recent weeks with Beijing's imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong.
Washington denounced a law that destroyed the autonomy of the former British colony and took economic retaliatory measures against the Chinese autonomous region. Beijing denounced interference in its internal affairs.
The two countries have also taken reciprocal sanctions over Xinjiang, with the United States accusing Beijing of engaging in human rights violations against ethnic Uyghur Muslims in this vast northern region. western China.
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