China on Wednesday condemned what it called an “unprecedented escalation” by the United States and threatened to retaliate after being ordered to close the Chinese consulate in Houston.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily news conference Tuesday that the government had been told without warning to shut down the consulate on Tuesday.
He said the consulate had been operating normally on Tuesday and called the alleged move an “unprecedented escalation,” the South China Morning Post reported.
“China demands that the United States reverse the wrong decision. If the United States moved forward, China would take the necessary countermeasures, “said Wang.
In a statement sent to Fox News, State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus confirmed the directive and said it was issued “to protect American intellectual property and the private information of Americans.”
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 business practices, theft of American jobs and other egregious behavior,” he added. “President Trump insists on equity and reciprocity in relations between the United States and China.”
The documents were burned inside the consulate courtyard Tuesday night, KPRC-TV reported in Houston.
“You could smell the paper burning,” a witness told the station. “But, all the firefighters were surrounding the building. They couldn’t get in.”
“The United States asked China to close the Consulate General in Houston in 72 hours. This is a crazy move,” Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, wrote on Twitter.
KPRC reported that the consulate was ordered to close Friday along with a complex where many consulate employees live, citing police sources.
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Beijing called the alleged eviction a violation of international law, according to Reuters.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
