CHANGSHA, China — The United States has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston by Friday, an abrupt move that opens up a new front in a battle for supremacy between the world's two biggest economies.
Beijing immediately vowed to retaliate for the "unprecedented escalation," leading to speculation it could order the closure of the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan, which has been shuttered since the coronavirus epidemic spread across the city in January.
The confrontation in the diplomatic sphere widens a conflict that already incorporated trade and technology, freedom of the press and religion, students and scientists, as well as the novel coronavirus and the race for a vaccine.
Analysts on both sides say that bilateral relations are at their worst since before 1979, when the United States formally recognized the People’s Republic of China.
"At this rate, I wouldn't even be surprised if Trump decides to sever diplomatic relations with China someday," said Chu Shulong, a professor in American politics and diplomacy at Tsinghua University, suggesting that this was part of President Trump's reelection strategy.
“Trump has no limits, no principles and no morals, and that’s why he can stoop so low and yet few bother to raise an eyebrow,” Chu said.
The Trump administration decided to order the closure of China's consulate in Houston, which was opened in 1979 and is situated in an area with a large Chinese community, "in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Wednesday.
"The United States will not tolerate the PRC's violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC's unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs and other egregious behavior," she said, using the abbreviation for China's official name, the People's Republic of China.
The State Department did not elaborate on the alleged infractions, but Ortagus suggested that China had violated the Vienna Convention, which governs diplomatic relations between states. Under the convention, diplomats must "respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State" and "have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State."
In Copenhagen, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, when asked by a journalist about the order to close the Houston consulate, cited the reporter's question that noted the United States had "long complained" about alleged Chinese intellectual property theft.
"Your point that this has been going on for a long time makes our point," Pompeo told the journalist. "President Trump has said 'enough.' We're not going to allow this."
The first sign of the American order came when Houston NBC affiliate KPRC2 aired video showing people in the courtyard of the consulate apparently burning documents after 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
Police and fire officials went to the scene in response to calls from neighbors but, in accordance with diplomatic rules, did not enter the building, the television station reported.
Witnesses in nearby apartment buildings told police that people were burning paper in what appeared to be trash cans, a police official told the Houston Chronicle. The consulate staff had been told they would be evicted from the building at 4 p.m. Friday, the paper quoted the unnamed official as saying.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry responded angrily to the order. The U.S. government "abruptly informed" China on Tuesday that it had to immediately close its consulate in Houston, Wang Wenbin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters Wednesday.
“The U.S. has far more diplomatic missions and staff working in China. So if the U.S. is bent on going down this wrong path, we will resolutely respond,” Wang said.
In addition to its embassy in Beijing, the United States has consulates in Shenyang, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and Guangzhou.
Analysts expect the Chinese government to respond by ordering one of them closed. Beijing was particularly incensed that the United States evacuated its consulate in Wuhan in January, as the virus began spreading rapidly across the city.
It has still not reopened, and the embassy and other consulates are operating with skeleton staffs, according to American officials.
Hu Xijin, the firebrand editor of the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times newspaper who often shares information on Twitter that has not been officially announced, revealed the 72-hour time frame
“This is a crazy move,” he wrote.
The Global Times started polls on Twitter and its Chinese equivalent, Weibo, asking: “Which US consulate general in China is most likely to be closed?” It gave four options: “Hong Kong and Macao, Guangzhou, Chengdu or other.”
The confrontation in the diplomatic sphere widens a conflict that already incorporated trade and technology, freedom of the press and religion, students and scientists, as well as the novel coronavirus and the race for a vaccine.
Analysts on both sides say that bilateral relations are at their worst since before 1979, when the United States formally recognized the People’s Republic of China.
"At this rate, I wouldn't even be surprised if Trump decides to sever diplomatic relations with China someday," said Chu Shulong, a professor in American politics and diplomacy at Tsinghua University, suggesting that this was part of President Trump's reelection strategy.
“Trump has no limits, no principles and no morals, and that’s why he can stoop so low and yet few bother to raise an eyebrow,” Chu said.
The Trump administration decided to order the closure of China's consulate in Houston, which was opened in 1979 and is situated in an area with a large Chinese community, "in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Wednesday.
"The United States will not tolerate the PRC's violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC's unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs and other egregious behavior," she said, using the abbreviation for China's official name, the People's Republic of China.
The State Department did not elaborate on the alleged infractions, but Ortagus suggested that China had violated the Vienna Convention, which governs diplomatic relations between states. Under the convention, diplomats must "respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State" and "have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State."
In Copenhagen, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, when asked by a journalist about the order to close the Houston consulate, cited the reporter's question that noted the United States had "long complained" about alleged Chinese intellectual property theft.
"Your point that this has been going on for a long time makes our point," Pompeo told the journalist. "President Trump has said 'enough.' We're not going to allow this."
The first sign of the American order came when Houston NBC affiliate KPRC2 aired video showing people in the courtyard of the consulate apparently burning documents after 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
Police and fire officials went to the scene in response to calls from neighbors but, in accordance with diplomatic rules, did not enter the building, the television station reported.
Witnesses in nearby apartment buildings told police that people were burning paper in what appeared to be trash cans, a police official told the Houston Chronicle. The consulate staff had been told they would be evicted from the building at 4 p.m. Friday, the paper quoted the unnamed official as saying.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry responded angrily to the order. The U.S. government "abruptly informed" China on Tuesday that it had to immediately close its consulate in Houston, Wang Wenbin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters Wednesday.
“The U.S. has far more diplomatic missions and staff working in China. So if the U.S. is bent on going down this wrong path, we will resolutely respond,” Wang said.
In addition to its embassy in Beijing, the United States has consulates in Shenyang, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and Guangzhou.
Analysts expect the Chinese government to respond by ordering one of them closed. Beijing was particularly incensed that the United States evacuated its consulate in Wuhan in January, as the virus began spreading rapidly across the city.
It has still not reopened, and the embassy and other consulates are operating with skeleton staffs, according to American officials.
Hu Xijin, the firebrand editor of the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times newspaper who often shares information on Twitter that has not been officially announced, revealed the 72-hour time frame
“This is a crazy move,” he wrote.
The Global Times started polls on Twitter and its Chinese equivalent, Weibo, asking: “Which US consulate general in China is most likely to be closed?” It gave four options: “Hong Kong and Macao, Guangzhou, Chengdu or other.”
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