China ordered the U.S. to close its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu, after the American government forced China to leave its mission in Houston earlier this week in a rare decision.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Friday that the consulate’s closure was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the U.S.”
The widely anticipated retaliation came hours ahead of the U.S.’s deadline for Chinese diplomats to vacate the Houston facility, which the State Department said had served as a hub for spying and influence operations.