U.S. security forces seize Chinese embassy in Houston amid tensions

Washington, Ta. Saturday, July 25, 2020

The Chinese consulate in Houston, USA, was officially closed on Saturday. The embassy, ​​which opened four decades ago, has closed for the first time. A few days ago, the US ordered the closure of the Chinese embassy in Houston and US agents broke into the embassy and closed it. Tensions between the two countries have since escalated. It is to be mentioned that a war of words is already going on between the two countries over the control of Corona virus.

The United States has reportedly asked China to close its consulate in Houston within 72 hours. He is accused by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of being a center for espionage and intellectual property theft. Top US officials have also accused the consulate of being involved in Beijing's spying operations in the United States.

Reacting to the US decision to close the consulate in Houston, China on Friday ordered the closure of the US Consulate General in Chengdu. In ordering the closure of the embassy, ​​China accused the United States of interfering in its internal affairs and harming national security interests.

Chinese flags and seals at the consulate were removed just over an hour before the Trump administration's deadline. U.S. officials then seized the building. Early in the morning, embassy staff were seen removing their belongings from the building.

About 30 protesters were seen celebrating outside the consulate with banners. Houston police erected barricades and closed roads near the four-decade-old Chinese-occupied building before the deadline to close the embassy expired. Police have tightened security around the consulate building.

The United States on Wednesday ordered the closure of China's commercial embassy in Houston, saying the move was aimed at protecting Americans' intellectual property and private information. Reacting to the US move, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Winbein called it an "unexpected increase in tensions" and warned of retaliation.