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'A base for spying in Houston': Sen. Cruz says more Chinese consulates may close in wake of allegations
China is Houston's third-largest international trade partner and total trade has nearly doubled in the last decade.
Author: Matt Dougherty
Published: 4:15 PM CDT July 26, 2020
Updated: 10:52 PM CDT July 26, 2020
HOUSTON — The United States consulate in Chengdu, China officially closed Sunday. China's decision to shut down the consulate was made in retaliation for last week's eviction of diplomats from the China Consulate General in Houston.
Friday was the move-out day for the consul general and staff who are accused of participating in foreign espionage at the Houston location. The U.S. Department of State claimed the consulate in Houston was a hub for Chinese spies.
Officials alleged the spies stole medical research from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Texas A&M medical system. Chinese officials denied the claims.
During a Sunday morning interview with CBS's Face the Nation, Sen. Ted Cruz said there may be more Chinese consulates closing in the future.
"They may well be closed," Cruz said. "That consulate was closed, because that consulate, they used it as a base for spying in Houston and throughout the Southwest.”
The full impact the international events will have on the lives of Houstonians is yet to be understood.
"We are aware of U.S. officials’ concerns directed at Chinese officials and Chinese nationals regarding the theft of intellectual property and cyber theft in the United States and hope that China will take immediate steps to address these concerns," Greater Houston Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey wrote in a statement. "We look forward to the reopening of the consulate in Houston once these concerns are addressed."
More than 75,000 Houston-area residents were born in China, according to data from the GHP. China is Houston's third-largest international trade partner and total trade has nearly doubled in the last decade.
Trade dropped more than 25% in 2019 from the year before due to the U.S.-China trade war, according to the GHP.
Will the escalations of 2020 have an even larger, longer-lasting impact? Time will tell.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/money/economy/united-states-consulate-in-chengdu-china-officially-closed-in-retaliation-for-eviction-of-chinese-diplomats-in-houston/285-b02e9461-dca6-4f3a-ac8c-20196388c646
From the audio track of the video. "The organization (Greater Houston Partnership) says more than 75,000 Houston area residents were born in China".
Anon editorial section follows: The report does not state how many of those 75,000 are US citizens. There is a Chinese law that states any Chinese citizen is legally obligated to participate in any illegal action that the CCP asks them too. And almost certainly, whether US or Chinese citizen, all 75,000 have relatives and loved ones back in China against whom leverage could be applied in order to obtain the actions desired by the CCP.
Bob Harvey wrote in a statement. "We look forward to the reopening of the consulate in Houstononce these concerns are addressed."
Once these concerns are addressed? What does that mean, exactly?
Heidi Cruz, wife of US Senator Ted Cruz, is on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Partnership.
https://www.houston.org/about/board-of-directors
https://www.houston.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Houston_Partnership