A worker attempts to remove the wall insignia of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu
The American flag has been taken down at a U.S. consulate in southwestern China, according to state media, as officials vacate the premises under order of the Chinese government.
The flag was lowered at 6:18 a.m. on Monday at the U.S. mission in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.
Police have closed off a two to three block area around the consulate, cutting off virtually any view of the property. Vehicles could be seen moving in the distance behind multiple police lines.
China ordered the closing of the consulate on Friday in retaliation for a U.S. order to close the Chinese Consulate in Houston. The tit-for-tat closings marked a significant escalation in the tensions between the two countries over a range of issues, including trade, technology, security and human rights.
Moving trucks arrived at the U.S. consulate Sunday afternoon and left a few hours later. Late at night, flatbed trailers entered the complex. One later emerged carrying a large shipping container and a crane.
Before the area was closed, the impending closure of the consulate drew a steady stream of onlookers over the weekend as Chengdu, like Houston, found itself in the limelight of international politics.
A worker attempts to remove the wall insignia of the U.S. consulate in Chengdu
