After the Chinese consulate in Houston was ordered to shut down, China has now shut & taken full control of the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu. Do the Consulate shutdowns signal a new phase of the US-China conflict? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Consulate shutdowns, New phase of US-China conflict?

The American flag was lowered at the United States consulate in Chengdu on Monday, days after Beijing ordered it to close in retaliation for the shuttering of the Chinese consulate in Houston.

China orders U.S Chengdu consulate shut | American flag lowered at consulate | US-China

The American flag at the US consulate in Chengdu has officially been lowered after the Chinese government ordered to shut down the diplomatic mission. Watch report.

China: Chengdu mission closure necessary, US flag at Chengdu consulate lowered

China accuses United States of cold war rhetoric

After China ordered the closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in a tit-for-tat move as the US closed China's Houston consulate on Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that "the United States launched a unilateral provocation by abruptly demanding that China close its consulate in Houston".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-orders-us-to-close-its-consulate-in-chengdu-in-response-to-houston-closure-315605">Also Read:&nbsp;China orders US to close its consulate in Chengdu in response to Houston closure</a>

China's foreign ministry said the measure taken by it was the "legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the US".

Watch:

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The Chinese foreign ministry said that it "conforms with international law, the basic norms of international relations, and customary diplomatic practices."

"The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires," it said, adding the US is responsible for it.

The US had ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston after what it called to "protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information" amid reports of papers being burned inside the Chinese consulate compound, as the fire reportedly started US firefighter arrived on the scene but were prevented from entering the building.&nbsp;

The Chinese officials were ordered to vacate the consulate within 72 hours.

"We once again urge the US to immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track," China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

The Chinese spokesman said that some "people of the US consulate in Chengdu have engaged in activities that are incompatible with their status, interfering in China's internal affairs" while asserting that "China has repeatedly lodged representations, and the US side is well aware of it."

"The Chinese side has made specific requirements on the ceasing of all operations and activities by the US Consulate General in Chengdu, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity in diplomacy," Wang Wenbin said.

After China ordered the closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in a tit-for-tat move as the US closed China's Houston consulate on Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that "the United States launched a unilateral provocation by abruptly demanding that China close its consulate in Houston".

After China ordered the closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in a tit-for-tat move as the US closed China's Houston consulate on Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry said that "the United States launched a unilateral provocation by abruptly demanding that China close its consulate in Houston". Also Read: China orders US to close its consulate in Chengdu in response to Houston closure China's foreign ministry said the measure taken by it was the "legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the US". Watch: The Chinese foreign ministry said that it "conforms with international law, the basic norms of international relations, and customary diplomatic practices." "The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires," it said, adding the US is responsible for it. The US had ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston after what it called to "protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information" amid reports of papers being burned inside the Chinese consulate compound, as the fire reportedly started US firefighter arrived on the scene but were prevented from entering the building. The Chinese officials were ordered to vacate the consulate within 72 hours. "We once again urge the US to immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track," China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. The Chinese spokesman said that some "people of the US consulate in Chengdu have engaged in activities that are incompatible with their status, interfering in China's internal affairs" while asserting that "China has repeatedly lodged representations, and the US side is well aware of it." "The Chinese side has made specific requirements on the ceasing of all operations and activities by the US Consulate General in Chengdu, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity in diplomacy," Wang Wenbin said.

People in US consulate in Chengdu interfered in our internal affairs: China

In a tit-for-tat escalation between the two countries, China has ordered the closure of the US consulate in the south-western city of Chengdu. Watch report.

China asks US to shut consulate | Chengdu | Retaliation to Houston consulate closure