The closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston threatens to ignite a new diplomatic row between China and the US, with Beijing accusing the US of giving it only 72 hours to shut the diplomatic mission in a move it described as “unprecedented” and an “outrageous” escalation.

According to China, the US would have told Houston’s Chinese consulate on 21 July to abruptly cease all operations and events. In response, Beijing would have threatened retaliation if the decision was not withdrawn. This move constitutes the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the two superpowers.

The US State Department said in a statement that the closure was announced in order to protect American intellectual property and private information. This action swiftly follows a US Department of Justice indictment of two Chinese hackers accused of trying to steal trade secrets from hundreds of global targets and, more recently, probing for vulnerabilities in US companies involved in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said the Chinese consulate in Houston was operating normally, following local media reports on Tuesday night that documents were being burned in a courtyard at the consulate. Texas fire and police officers responded to the reports of a fire. It was not clear if they were permitted to enter the consulate or not.

“China strongly condemns such an outrageous and unjustified move, which will sabotage China-US relations,” Wenbin told reporters at a regular news briefing on Wednesday. “We urge the US to immediately withdraw its erroneous decision, otherwise China will make legitimate and necessary reactions.”

To this, the State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus answered: “The United States will not tolerate the PRC’s violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC’s unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behaviour.”

But China didn’t wait before retaliating. The Chinese foreign ministry said its embassy in the US had received bomb and death threats, which it blamed the US for “fanning hatred against China.” Beijing also accused US diplomats of being engaged in “infiltration and interference activities.”

“If we compare the two, it is only too evident which is engaged in interference, infiltration and confrontation,” said the Chinese foreign ministry’s statement.