BEIJING: The US break-into the Chinese consulate in Houston is “no different from burglary,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying tweeted on Sunday as US legal enforcement agents were reported to have broken into the consulate compound on Friday afternoon.
The premises of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston are the Chinese government’s property. The US’ break-in is in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations as well as the US Constitution and the Foreign Missions Act, Hua said. Such behavior is no different from burglary, Hua noted.
According to US media, US officials and a locksmith broke into a back door of the consulate at about 40 minutes after 4:00pm – the deadline the US administration gave for the closure of the consulate.
Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Convention, the United States must not infringe on the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston in any way, he said.
“China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. forced entry into the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston, and has lodged solemn representations. China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard,” Wang said.
Chinese legal experts echoed Hua’s comments, believing that the US’ move apparently violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Treaty.
Regardless if the compound is rented or has been purchased by the Chinese consulate, the US legal enforcement authorities are not entitled to enter the compound without the consulate’s consent, experts noted.
