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China-US relations: Beijing could ‘reopen consulate, let journalists back in’
- Chinese ambassador says it all rests on American policy towards China and whether Washington aims to contain Beijing
- ‘It’s too early to talk about the schedule for next year,’ envoy says when asked if Biden and Xi will meet
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China could consider reopening a consulate and allowing American journalists back to the country if the United States is ready, according to China’s ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai.
But Cui said everything rested on whether US president-elect Joe Biden’s intention was to contain China.
“We did not initiate the closing of the consulate. We were not the first one to ask foreign journalists to leave the country. We did all these things in response to actions taken by the United States,” Cui said at an annual conference held by the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies.
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“So if the US government is ready to reverse the course, we’re ready to look at it,” he said.
01:27
US consulate in Chengdu shut down in response to closure of China’s diplomatic mission in Houston
US consulate in Chengdu shut down in response to closure of China’s diplomatic mission in Houston
In July, Beijing ordered the US consulate in Chengdu to close and accused American personnel of interfering in the country’s domestic affairs. It came after the forced closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston over accusations of espionage.
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