Chinese authorities have taken control of the former US Consulate in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. The move comes amid rising tensions between the two countries over a number of issues.

Chinese authorities on Monday entered the former US Consulate in Chengdu after it was ordered to be shut in retaliation for the US closing the Chinese Consulate in Houston last week.

China's Foreign Ministry spoke of "competent authorities" having entered the premises after it was vacated by US diplomats in the morning.

The closings of the missions come as tensions between the two global powers continue to rise, fueled by numerous issues, including trade, responsibility for the coronavirus pandemic and moves by Beijing to stifle pro-democracy efforts in Hong Kong.

"We entered from the main entrance and took over fairly and honorably," a statement on the Weibo online platform said. Beijing had complained that US officials used illegitimate force to enter the Houston consulate, prising open the back door after failing to get in by three other entrances.

A large crowd in Chengdu

DW's Mathias Bölinger, who is at the US Consulate in Chengdu, said reactions among locals to the closure of the mission were mixed, with some happy to see the Americans go while others were unhappy that bilateral ties had so deteriorated. "Many people have come to take a look and a selfie with victorious poses," Bölinger said. "It is a historic event in their town and they wanted to witness it."

Role in Tibet relations

The Consulate covered several minority regions, such as Tibet. US State Department said it had "stood at the center of our relations with the people in Western China, including Tibet, for 35 years." It expressed disappointment at China's decision but said the US would continue with its "outreach to the people in this important region through our other posts in China."

Each side now has four consulates and one embassy in the respective other country.

China has described US allegations that its Houston consulate hosted Chinese spies who were trying to steal medical and industrial data as "malicious slander."

Source: dw.com