중국, 청두 주재 미 총영사관 폐쇄 요구 "모두 미국 책임"
China has ordered the closure of the United States consulate in Chengdu, days after Washington forced the Chinese consulate in Houston to cease operations.
The tit-for-tat escalation between the two superpowers is only the latest in rising tensions over several key issues.
Our Hong Yoo has an analysis.
In retaliation to the U.S.' order to close China's consulate in Houston, Beijing has hit back ordering Washington to shut down its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu.
China's foreign affairs ministry informed the U.S. embassy that their operation permit has been revoked and that they must stop all activity this week.
The ministry emphasized that the U.S. had "unilaterally provoked the incident" and that the counterattack is a "legitimate and necessary response to the U.S.' unjustified act."
But, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said spy activities and the theft of intellectual property was at the center of the decision.
In a speech on Thursday, Pompeo said the U.S.' efforts to open the world up to China was a total failure, adding that Beijing took advantage...to lie, cheat and steal its way to power and prosperity.
"President Nixon once said he feared he had created a Frankenstein by opening the world to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and here we are."
Some say, however, that Trump is using the shutdown order as a "red herring" before the U.S. presidential elections in November.
"Trump's decision could be symbolic...to have the appearance of taking strong measures because the Houston consulate was the first Chinese consulate to be built in the U.S.. But realistically, China knows that the U.S. is not trying to cause tensions to the point of deporting diplomats."
A shutdown of a consulate is a measure usually taken right before a rupture in diplomatic relations. Beijing has asked the U.S. to reverse its decision in order to normalize the bilateral relationship.
Should the closure take place, it would be the first of its kind in U.S.-China diplomatic relations since 1979.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.
