China says US ordered closure of Houston consulate

Beijing on Wednesday said the United States had ordered China to close its Houston consulate, terming it a "political provocation" that would further harm diplomatic relations.

The Chinese Consulate in Houston, opened in 1979, covers eight southern US states -- including Texas and Florida -- and has nearly one million people in the area registered at the consulate.

"China urges the US to immediately withdraw its wrong decision, or China will definitely take a proper and necessary response,"said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

Wenbin said they were told on Tuesday the consulate would have to close.

"It is a political provocation unilaterally launched by the US side, which seriously violates international law... and the bilateral consular agreement between China and the US," Wang said.

He added that China "strongly condemns" the "outrageous and unjustified move which will sabotage China-US relations."

Firefighters and police were reportedly called to the consulate building on Tuesday evening on reports that documents were being burned in the building’s courtyard.

The move comes as tensions soar between the world's two biggest economies on a number of fronts.

US President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on China on a wide range of issues, imposing sanctions on Chinese officials over policies in Tibet and Xinjiang.

The US has also downgraded relations with Hong Kong after China implemented a new security law which it says is in violation of its promises of autonomy for the territory.