Home / World News / Tension escalates as Trump orders closure of Chinese consulate in Houston

Tension escalates as Trump orders closure of Chinese consulate in Houston

Beijing denounces the order as outrageous and says it would draw a firm response if not reversed

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The State Department said it ordered the consulate closed within 72 hours after alleging that Chinese agents have tried to steal data from facilities in Texas.

AP | PTI Washington

6 min read Last Updated : Jul 23 2020 | 8:11 AM IST

The United States ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, escalating tensions between the world's largest economies as President Donald Trump ramps up punitive measures against China ahead of the November US election.

Beijing denounced the order Wednesday as outrageous and said it would draw a firm response if not reversed.

The physical closure of the consulate, one of China's six missions in the United States, marked a dramatic step in increasingly contentious relations that have been strained not only by the conronavirus pandemic but disputes over trade, human rights, Hong Kong and Chinese assertiveness in the South China

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