U.S. orders China to close consulate in Houston, Texas

The U.S. State Department confirmed on Wednesday it had ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, prompting Beijing to insist on firm countermeasures unless Washington immediately reverses its decision.

The move comes as political tensions between the world’s two largest economies continue to escalate.

State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said it had directed the closure of the PRC Consulate General Houston, in order to protect American intellectual property and American’s private information.

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