China orders US consulate in Chengdu to close

China has ordered the United States to close one of its consulates in a tit-for-tat move. The foreign ministry has given US officials 72 hours to leave the consulate in the south western city of Chengdu.
It comes after Washington told Beijing to shut its diplomatic mission in Houston, Texas, earlier this week. On Tuesday, the US accused two Chinese nationals of attempting to steal Covid-19 vaccine research. Relations between the powers are at their lowest in 40 years. The Chinese foreign ministry defended its move saying it was a legitimate response to a provocation by the US.

---