US officers force open rear door of Chinese consulate in Houston following closure order
Beijing announces shutting down of America's Chengdu consulate in tit-for-tat response
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Law enforcement officials were seen forcing open a door at the Chinese consulate in Houston shortly after the US-imposed deadline for its closure took effect.
The group, who were accompanied by a State Department official, pried open a rear door and went inside without responding to questions from reporters.
Chinese officials were ordered to leave by 4pm on Friday amid escalating tensions between Beijing and the Trump administration, which said the consulate had been "a hub of spying and intellectual property theft".
The officers did not reveal to reporters where they were from, but one member of the group appeared to be Cliff Seagroves, the State Department's top official for foreign missions.
A State Department spokesperson declined to answer questions about Mr Seagroves or the group's activity at the consulate.
After the men went inside, two uniformed members of the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security arrived to guard the door. They did not respond to questions.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Consulate staff had exited the Houston building shortly after 4pm and left in vehicles before the door was forced open, according to a witness.
Following Washington's announcement of the Chinese consulate's closure, Beijing in a tit-for-tat response ordered the shutting down of the US consulate in the city of Chengdu.
On Saturday, a consulate emblem inside the Chengdu compound was taken down and staff could be seen moving about. Three removal vans later entered the compound.
Police gathered outside and closed off the street to traffic.
A steady stream of people walked along the street opposite the entrance throughout the day, many stopping to take photos or videos before police moved them on.
The US consulate was given 72 hours to close, or until 10am on Monday, the editor of China's Global Times tabloid said on Twitter.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year to what experts say is their lowest level in decades.
Earlier this week, the US charged two hackers and accused the Chinese government of sponsoring criminal breaches of international biotech firms developing treatments and vaccinations for the novel coronavirus.
And on Friday a Singaporean man pleaded guilty in the US to working as an agent for Beijing by using his business as a front to collect information for Chinese intelligence.
Other issues triggering rows between the world's two biggest economies range from trade and technology to the novel coronavirus, China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and its clampdown on Hong Kong.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments