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US Consulate in Chengdu, China Closes on Beijing's Orders

VOA News

   China says it has taken control of the former U.S. consulate in the
   southwestern city of Chengdu, in a tit-for-tat response to the closure
   of its consulate last week in Houston, Texas.

   The foreign ministry announced that the consulate shut its doors at 10
   a.m.(0200GMT)local time, the exact time Chinese authorities ordered its
   closure and just moments after the U.S. flag was lowered for the last
   time. Minutes later, a group of officials entered the building and took
   over the premises.

   The U.S.Embassyin Beijing bid farewell to the Chengdu outpost in a
   retrospective video posted on its Twitter account, saying "We will miss
   you forever."

     ä»å¤©ï¼æ们åå«ç¾å½é©»æé½æ»é¢äºé¦ ãæ们ä¼æ°¸è¿æ³å¿µä½ 们ã
     [1]pic.twitter.com/sV2fe9KVPJ
     -- ç¾å½é©»å使é¢é¦ US MissionCN (@USA_China_Talk) [2]July 27, 2020

   Ahead of its closure, a tight security presence surrounded the
   consulate Sunday as the staff prepared to leave the premises.

   Three moving trucks were seen entering the building compound, while
   uniformed and plainclothes police lined both sides of the street, which
   were lined with metal barriers.

   China charged that some personnel at the Chengdu consulate were
   "conducting activities not in line with their identities."

   Foreign Ministry spokesman WangWenbinsaid such activity had interfered
   in China's affairs and harmed its security interest without giving any
   details.

   China's order to close the consulate in Chengdu was issued last Friday
   in retaliation for a U.S. order to close the Chinese consulate in
   Houston, Texas.

References

   1. https://t.co/sV2fe9KVPJ
   2. https://twitter.com/USA_China_Talk/status/1287581197439242240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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