Tit-for-tat: China orders closure of US consulate in Chengdu

BEIJING (Web Desk) – China has ordered the closure of the US consulate in the south-western city of Chengdu, in a tit-for-tat escalation between the two countries. It is pertinent to mention here that the tit-for-tat consulate closures marked yet another round of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. According to the foreign media, China has ordered the closure of a US consulate in southwestern China, in a move that escalates tensions between the two countries to a new level. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday said that the diplomats of the US consulate general in Chengdu interfered in China's internal affairs and engaged in activities that were not in line with their diplomatic identities. Wang said the Chinese side has lodged representations with the US many times. He urged the US to withdraw its decision to close China's consulate general in Houston and make efforts to bring bilateral ties back on track. Wang added that China's consulate general in Houston is still running so far. China has ordered the US to close its consulate general in southwest China's Chengdu City in response to US directive for China to shut its consulate general in Houston, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the decision was a justifiable and necessary response to the unreasonable act of the US on July 21 of abruptly asking China to close its consulate general in Houston by Friday.