(Newswire.net— July 24, 2020) — Retaliation comes after the US ordered China to close their consulate in Houston, with Beijing having ordered the US to close its consulate u Chengdu, Russia Today reports as breaking news.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday morning, that it revoked the license to the US embassy in Chengdu. “China has decided to revoke the license for the establishment and operation of the US Consulate General in Chengdu and put forward specific requirements for the Consulate General to stop all business and activities,” the ministry said in a statement.
Beijing, however, said it would revoke the decision if the US “immediately revokes the erroneous decision to create necessary conditions for the return of bilateral relations to normal,” it added.
Canceling the license for the US consulates in China is something Beijing would like to avoid, RT reports. Washington “unilaterally provoked” the retaliatory move by ordering China to shut down its consulate within 72 hours.
Chinese Foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the responsibility rests entirely with the United States who first canceled the operational license of the Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas, expelling Chinese diplomats.
Urging China to close it’s a consulate in Houston “seriously violated international law and… damaged Chinese-US relations,” the statement reads.
Beijing expressed regret over escalating tensions between the two countries but expelling American diplomats as a tit-for-tat move was a “legitimate and necessary response” to “unreasonable actions” on the US side.
The White House spokesperson said the move to close the Chinese consulate in Houston was made “in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans,” after the consulate personnel were seen burning documents in the consulate back yard.
“I guess they were burning documents and burning papers,” Trump said. Beijing insists it has acted in line with international norms and that there is no reason whatsoever for the US to call for closing its consulate.
The US has no intention to revoke its decision to shut down the Chinese consulate, even more so, US President Donald Trump said he could close down additional Chinese consulates following the closure of the diplomatic facility in Texas, Russia Today reports.
Leaving the door open for further escalation of tensions between two nations, the comment on closing more of China’s consulates in the US came during a White House presser on Wednesday.