Overseas Chinese were shocked and scared after the order to close the Houston consulate 3
The US earlier this week asked China to close its Consulate General in Houston, Texas, within 72 hours, a move that caused concern among the Chinese community living in the city.
`The move has a huge impact on all of us. I can’t even imagine what will happen next,` said Helen Shih, a member of the Chinese community in Houston.
`I was surprised. This is an extremely risky action that is rarely seen,` said Dr. Hans Stockton at St.
Outside the Chinese Consulate General in Houston, Texas, USA, on July 22, after information about the facility’s closure was announced.
Houston’s Chinese and Chinese-American communities say locals, their families and friends are caught in a political battle.
`A feeling of anxiety prevails within the Chinese community because in the past few years, there has been an investigation targeting Chinese Americans and this has made the situation even more serious,` Mr. Quan said.
Mr. Quan is one of many people worried about the necessary services the consulate in Houston provides to more than 215,300 Chinese Americans in Texas.
Brian Liu, another member of the Chinese community in Houston, said the Chinese Consulate General in Houston offers the resident and business community here `a lot of convenience.`
Washington said the closure was aimed at `protecting Americans’ intellectual property and personal information`.
Meanwhile, Beijing declared this an `unprecedented escalation`, `unilateral political provocation`, sabotage of bilateral relations and warned of necessary responses.
Chinese Consul General in Houston Taiwei said on July 23 that this diplomatic facility still operates normally until further notice, ignoring the US request to close.
The Chinese Consulate General in Houston opened in 1979, providing consular services to the southern and southeastern United States.
Washington-Beijing relations are at their lowest level in many years.
Mai Lam (According to KPRC-TV)
