The closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston, supposed to go into effect on Friday, July 24, is " a message " to other Chinese diplomats to " stop " economic espionage activities in the United States, a senior official said. American.
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" All of the Houston Consulate's activities have largely crossed the line of what we were prepared to accept, and if we had not ended them they threatened to become even more aggressive, in Houston as elsewhere. Chinese consulates across the country, ”the Justice Ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “At some point, you just have to say 'enough',” added a senior US State Department official. “ Houston aims to firmly demonstrate that we are serious. "
"A hub of espionage"
Washington gave Beijing 72 hours on Tuesday to close its consulate in this city of Texas, one of the world's major centers for biological and medical research, citing cases of espionage.
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The movement was visible Friday morning in front of the affected building in Houston. People were carrying bags in a moving van and throwing large garbage bags into nearby dumpsters, an AFP journalist said. This diplomatic mission was " a hub of espionage and theft of intellectual property " by China, accused the head of American diplomacy Mike Pompeo on Thursday, without however mentioning specific facts accused of consulate employees.
The Justice Department official confirmed on Friday that the closure was more the culmination of a process than a response to a specific case. " We want to dismantle these activities in Houston and prevent similar activities by Chinese officials in other consulates, " he said. " Closing the consulate in Houston and preventing these officials from moving elsewhere " in the United States " allows these two objectives to be achieved, " he said.