U.S. confirms it has closed consulate in Chengdu; closing ordered by China after U.S. shut Chinese Consulate in Houston

CHENGDU, China (AP) – The U.S. closed its consulate in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu on Monday, a victim of the rising tensions between the global powers. China ordered the mission closed in retaliation for a U.S. order to shut down the Chinese Consulate in Houston. The tit-for-tat closings marked a significant escalation in the multiple disputes between the countries over a range of issues, including trade, technology, security and human rights. A State Department statement expressed disappointment, saying the consulate “has stood at the center of our relations with the people in Western China, including Tibet, for 35 years.”