US ORDERS CHINA TO SHUT DOWN HOUSTON CONSULATE

BEIJING: The US has asked China to shut down its consulate in Houston to “protect American intellectual property”, prompting a livid Beijing to warn it will do the same for the US mission in the city of Wuhan.

China said it was an “unprecedented escalation” in Washington’s recent actions and warned of “legitimate and necessary” response against the decision.

The US move adds to rapidly deteriorating bilateral ties over South China Sea disputes, the Hong Kong security bill, US arms sales to Taiwan, the condition of minorities in Xinjiang, and the origin of the coronavirus besides an ongoing trade war.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the Chinese Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper, said Washington had given 72 hours to Beijing to close down the Houston consulate.

Theusstatedepartment confirmed the Houston closure decision. The move was made “in order to protect American intellectual property and private information”, spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.

In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said, “It is a political provocation... which seriously violates international law.”