EVICTED

China Pulls Down Stars and Stripes From U.S. Embassy in Chengdu and Takes Control of Building

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it had taken over the consulate building.

The American flag has been pulled down from the U.S. consulate in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu after the Chinese Communist Party took control of the building, according to reports. The seizure was an act of direct retaliation after the Trump administration threw China out of its consulate in Houston last week. Reuters reports that China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it had taken over the consulate building after giving the American staff 72 hours to leave. Officials have covered up a plaque identifying the building as a U.S. consulate, and the Stars and Stripes was reportedly lowered early Monday morning. The Chengdu consulate had almost 200 employees, but it’s not clear how many were working there as of its closure. The U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement given to Reuters: “We are disappointed by the Chinese Communist Party’s decision and will strive to continue our outreach to the people in this important region through our other posts in China.”