The U.S. government ordered Chinese consulate in Houston close to ‘protect American intellectual property’ after officials respond to fire where documents, other materials were being to be burned in courtyard of Consulate General of China in Houston, Texas.
Media reports in Houston said that authorities had responded to reports of a fire at the Chinese Consulate. Witnesses said that people were burning paper in what appeared to be trash cans, the Houston Chronicle reported, citing police.
The materials are alleged to have been tied to Chinese hackers trying to steal US coronavirus research.
“It appears to be open burning in a container within the courtyard of the Chinese consulate facility. It does not appear to be an unconfined fire but we have not been allowed access. We are standing by and monitoring,” said Chief Sam Pena.
The Chinese Consulate was told to close the building by this Friday.
“China has now taken its place, alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea, in that shameful club of nations that provide a safe haven for cyber criminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘on call’ to work for the benefit of the state, here to feed the Chinese Communist Party’s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies’ hard-earned intellectual property, including COVID-19 research.”
After an overnight fire, the United States government has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston “to protect American intellectual property and American’s private information.” https://t.co/LmOnK3ApTj pic.twitter.com/UlzzsDhKSw
— CBS News Texas (@CBSNewsTexas) July 22, 2020
The State Department issued the following statement regarding the fire:
“The Vienna Convention states diplomats must “respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State” and “have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State. 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. President Trump insists on fairness and reciprocity in U.S.-China relations.”
About 8:25 pm on Tuesday, our officers responded to a meet the firefighter call to the China Consulate General in Houston building at 3417 Montrose Blvd.
Smoke was observed in an outside courtyard area. Officers were not granted access to enter the building. 1/2
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) July 22, 2020
The US ordered China to close its diplomatic consulate in Houston within 72 hours.
Chinese consulate caused a fire while trying to destroy the evidence.
The perfect demonstration of incompetency. #China #Chinese pic.twitter.com/aype90Czvy
— Kuzzat Altay (@KuzzatAltay) July 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1285778188807942148?s=20
Documents burned on the grounds of the Chinese Consulate in Houston
ABC7 News, July 22, 2020:
Watch the video above to learn why Chinese officials say the orders to close the consulate is an outrageous and unjustified move that will sabotage relations between the two countries.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The U.S. has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston in what a Chinese official called an outrageous and unjustified move that will sabotage relations between the two countries.Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin condemned the action, which comes at a time of rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies. He warned of firm countermeasures if the U.S. does not reverse its decision.
“The unilateral closure of China’s consulate general in Houston within a short period of time is an unprecedented escalation of its recent actions against China,” Wang said at a daily news briefing.
Besides its embassy in Beijing, the U.S. has five consulates in mainland China, according to its website. They are in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan and Shenyang.
The U.S. State Department confirms it ordered China's Houston consulate closed “to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information” https://t.co/ualxRaVB0F
— Bloomberg (@business) July 22, 2020
The U.S. said in a brief statement that the consulate was ordered closed “to protect American intellectual property and American’s private information.” It did not provide any details.
Media reports in Houston said that authorities had responded to reports of a fire at the Chinese Consulate. Witnesses said that people were burning paper in what appeared to be trash cans, the Houston Chronicle reported, citing police.
“It appears to be open burning in a container within the courtyard of the Chinese consulate facility. It does not appear to be an unconfined fire but we have not been allowed access. We are standing by and monitoring,” said Chief Sam Pena.
The Chinese Consulate was told to close the building by this Friday.
Houston police said in a tweet that officers responded to “a meet the firefighter” call at the Chinese Consulate building at 3417 Montrose Blvd. The tweet said that smoke was observed in an outdoor courtyard area, and that officers were not allowed to enter the building.
The state department issued the following statement regarding the fire:
“The Vienna Convention states diplomats must “respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State” and “have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State. 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. President Trump insists on fairness and reciprocity in U.S.-China relations.”
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We donj’t need them here! Deny them the consulate. There are NO benefits to us by their presence, yet ALL TOO MANY RISKS! Let’s get rid of the U.N. as well – with its Anti-Semitic, Anti-U.S. countries (MOST!) as well. They can re-establish it OUTSIDE the Country – and at Their expense – to wallow in all of that.
Since it’s Chinese territory, are they allowed to burn down the building before they vacate it?
chi coms, blm, antifa. All America haters
dems are going to start whining about this in 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1
D.J.Trump – a fighter.
And also his staff.
A politician who don´t disappoint me.
Go on man, go on, 4 more years.
Stop harassing our Chinese friends. They were only having a dog BBQ in their backyard.
YET WE DON’T PUT CHINA ON THE LIST OF TERRORIST SUPPORTING STATES? HEY, THE GEORGE SOROS-IAN GLOBALIST BANKING CLIQUE INFESTED U.S. STATE DEPT LABELS RUSSIAN RIGHT-WING PARTIES SUPPORTING THEIR COUNTRY TERRORISTS BUT DOESN’T MENTION MAOIST CHINA? WE NEED TO GET REAL! ALSO, YOU WOULD THINK THE MAOIST CHINESE WOULD HAVE SHRED AND BURNED THEM INSIDE BUT I GUESS THEY FELT SO SECURE THERE THEY DIDN’T CARE! SUPER SUMMER, RIGHTISTS!