US gives China 72 hours to close Houston consulate

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

Quote

The US gave China 72 hours to close its consulate in Houston, according to Hu Xijin, the editor of the Communist Party's Global Times newspaper.

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/us-gives-china-72-hours-to-close-houston-consulate/story/410688.html

 

 

Quote

Fire at Chinese Consulate in Houston due to classified documents being burned ahead of eviction

Quote

Police say a fire that was reported at the Chinese Consulate in Houston Tuesday evening, was the result of classified documents being burned.

Quote

Houston police tell FOX 26 that they were burning classified documents because they are being evicted from the building on Friday at 4 p.m.

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/fire-at-chinese-consulate-in-houston-due-to-classified-documents-being-burned-ahead-of-eviction

 

 

 

Quote

 

Morgan Ortagus, a spokeswoman for the State Department, didn’t specify what Chinese actions prompted Washington’s decision, but said “President Trump insists on fairness and reciprocity in U.S.-China relations.”

“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 trade practices, theft of American jobs and other egregious behavior,” Ms. Ortagus said using an abbreviation of the People’s Republic of China, in a statement issued after Beijing made public the U.S.’s demand.

 

Quote

 

The U.S.’s Tuesday closure order coincided with Washington’s unveiling of indictments against two hackers in China. They have been accused of targeting American firms involved in coronavirus research and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in sensitive information from companies around the world while working on behalf of Beijing’s main civilian intelligence agency.

In Houston, firefighters and police officers responded Tuesday evening to calls related to the Chinese consulate, where smoke was seen rising from an outdoor courtyard area, local police said. Footage aired by local television stations purportedly showed people burning documents on the consulate’s premises.

 

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-u-s-ordered-us-to-close-our-houston-consulate-11595407075

 

Found that WSJ article giving more info and a somewhat vague DOS statement. Happy to see Trump standing up to China. 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Burnt Reynolds

[Dashinka 24,497]

This may become interesting.

[TomandQi 19]

Great that is my wife's consulate and she need to re-up her passport. 

[Dashinka 24,497]

Sounds like the Houston Consulate was the main hub for spying.  Unless Trump kicks out all the Chinese CCP personnel, I expect this will just be a blip in their spying operation.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rubio-chinese-consulate-in-houston-was-massive-spy-center

[millefleur 5,046]

6 hours ago, TomandQi said:

Great that is my wife's consulate and she need to re-up her passport. 

I hate when things like this happen because while I understand the politics behind it, a bunch of innocent citizens who rely on consulates get punished in the process.

 

[TBoneTX 45,288]

Police and firemen were indeed NOT allowed to enter the courtyard.