US may close down additional Chinese diplomatic missions, hints Trump

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of closing down additional Chinese diplomatic missions in the United States.

"As far as closing additional embassies, it's always possible. We thought there was a fire in the one we did close, I guess they were burning documents and papers. I wonder what that is all about," Trump said during his daily press briefing.

This development comes after the US Department of Justice convicted two Chinese nationals of spying charges for targeting computer networks of biotech firms around the world working on coronavirus vaccines, technology, and treatments.

The 11-count indictment alleged that the two former computer engineers, identified as Li Xiaoyu, 34, and Dong Jiazhi, 33, conducted a hacking campaign lasting more than ten years to the present, targeting companies in countries with high technology industries, including the United States, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Following the indictment, the US State Department had also ordered China to close by Friday its consulate in Houston, Texas, over accusations of massive illegal spying and influence operations in the US.

Regarding the same, State Secretary Mike Pompeo said, "It's not just American intellectual property been stolen, it's been European intellectual property too, causing hundreds - costing hundreds of thousands of jobs, good jobs for hard-working people all across Europe and America stolen by the Chinese Communist Party."

"We are setting out clear expectations for how the Chinese Communist Party is going to behave, and when they do not, we are going to take actions that protect the American people, protect our security, our national security, and also protect our economy and jobs. That's the actions that you're seeing taken by President Trump. We will continue to engage in those," Pompeo told reporters further.

This comes as tensions rise between the world's two largest economies over several issues, including trade practices, coronavirus and Chinese aggression in its vicinity. 

Trump had recently signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act--legislation and an executive order authorising sanctions against China for 'its oppressive action against the people of Hong Kong.'

Moreover, the US has decided to stop WHO's funding, accusing the organisation of being China's puppet. The country further blamed China of concealing information about the deadly virus which has spread across the world, killing millions.

(With ANI inputs)