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Police block people attempting to enter a road leading to the now-former U.S. Consulate, as the American flag has been lowered in Chengdu, China. Photo: Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images
Chinese officials announced they’ve lowered the American flag and taken over the U.S. consulate in Chengdu, the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province, per AFP.
The big picture: The closure marks a tit-for-tat move by Chinese authorities after the forced shuttering of China’s consulate in Houston by U.S. officials. Chengdu is a secondary diplomatic outpost for the U.S. — much like Houston was for China.