The Fire
Video of Fires Burning in Bins
https://twitter.com/KPRC2Tulsi/status/1285772143788261376
The Claim
US orders it to close consulate in Houston to ‘protect American intellectual property’ after officials respond to fire.
The U.S. said in a brief statement that the consulate was ordered closed “to protect American intellectual property and American’s private information.” It did not provide any details.
“The United States will not tolerate the PRC’s violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC’s unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behavior,” the statement from State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.
Houston police and fire officials responded to reports that documents were being burned in the courtyard of the Consulate General of China in Houston Tuesday night, according to the Houston Police Department.
“You could just smell the paper burning,” a witness at the scene told KPRC 2. “But, all the firefighters were just surrounding the building. They couldn’t go inside.”
The Counterclaim
Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin condemned the action, which comes at a time of rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies. He warned of firm countermeasures if the U.S. does not reverse its decision.
Wang accused the U.S. of opening Chinese diplomatic pouches without permission multiple times, confiscating Chinese items for official use and imposing restrictions on Chinese diplomats in the U.S. last October and again in June. He also said that U.S. diplomats in China engage in infiltration activities.
“If we compare the two, it is only too evident which is engaged in interference, infiltration and confrontation,” Wang said.
Senator Rubio
https://twitter.com/We_All_Resist/status/1285925429602390016
“Houston is the central node of the Communist Party’s vast network of spies & influence operations in the United States. Now that building must close & the spies have 72 hours to leave or face arrest.”
But why an issue just now?
Trademarks
https://twitter.com/onevoice2/status/1285954550583701509
I suspect those will be rescinded.
Three Facts
- China was burning documents last night at the consulate in Houston
- Today Trump closed the consulate
- It was the US’s first closure of a Chinese consulate but other countries have been involved in closures
Speculation
Everything else is speculation.
Rumors and opinions are flying. It is very difficult to ascertain what is going on.
Accusation
Counter Accusation
The rebuttal many made: “Something to hide?”
Questions?
- Was China burning papers because they got wind of the closure? If so, how did China get wind of the closure?
- Was China burning papers because the U.S. opened Chinese diplomatic pouches without permission? If so when and how did that happen?
- If China has been spying for decades and Houston is the hub, why this action now?
Retaliation
Timing
The timing of this event is very suspicious. And one can add that to the fact list as well.
Word of the Day
Beijing said the U.S. closure was “unprecedented” escalation.
That word keeps popping up over and over and over.
Whom to Believe?
- We have no reason to believe anything China says.
- We have every reason to mistrust Trump’s motives, timing, and related statements, even assuming the overall espionage charge is true.
Mish
Lol, Chinese celebrating imminent departure of “freedom and democracy missionaries” from chengdu consulate, while US ignores international laws forcing entry into Chinese consulate. Yip, this is from the much Touted Shining Beacon of international rules based order, United Sanctionistan of America.
https://sputniknews.com/world/202007251079982161-consulate-crisis-beijing-slams-forcible-entry-in-houston-as-chengdu-prepares-to-send-off-us-staff/
Mish has it backwards. Obviously the Chinese consulate was notified first before the news is publicly announced. Burning documents? Of course, the consulate has been there for decades, tons of documents there would be considered classified secrets to the Chinese government, so please do not make a mountain out of molehills. Sheesh. Tell me that US consulates overseas do not have tons of classified secrets. Yeah, right.
The Chinese need to know that if anybody is going to be spying on Americans, it’s the US government.
Through the looking glass.
Can we agree that they can all go to hell?
How quaint! Spies…
Also that recent video of the Uighurs, turned out to be from 2018. This country’s final hope is a war with someone, anyone really.
As if 2018 was eons ago.
Mr. T. can you have Chinese CCP media send us something updated on these concentration camps.
Obviously we need to ask the Russians.
I am disappointed that Mish didn’t think of that option. He’s clearly slowing down 😉
Failing that, ask Hillary Clinton.
There is no reason to believe anything the US says either, regardless of Trump. US has been and likely always will be the largest spy on the planet – political/military/economic. And the reason why you don’t hear much from Europe is they do exactly the same thing, especially the French wrt economic espionage.
We are at Cold War with China, in a most twisted manner. 30 years ago we thought helping them economically (Made In China) would bring them closer to the U.S. and against Russia. We were wrong. They used it to our advantage, put their kids in our universities, and now they use it all against us. All the while we still help them (Made In China).
I’ve said before that history always repeats itself, and that mankind has not ended hot wars. It’s only a matter of time. The United States should have some pride and dignity in itself, and stick up for itself. Have some nationalism. Remember all the propaganda posters they had around WW2, making fun of and against other countries?
This is the United States current problem, that it wants to have its cake and eat it too. You can’t complain and moan about someone while you’re in bed with them. There will be a day of reckoning in the future, with Russia/China/Iran against USA/Europe/Australia, and we will have to defeat the commies again to buy another 75+ years. This also conveniently eliminates the national debt, you don’t owe to those you beat down anymore.
The problem is I don’t think Russia/China/Iran mind taking as many people with them in this war. I actually see the next world war, should it happen, as the last one.
With Texas turning bluer with every new covid death, pretending to be fighting the scary Chinaman Hobgoblin who is “stealing” their oil jobs, probably seemed an appealing narrative for Trump strategists.
Never mind the only ones stealing from Americans, are those living off of theft by way of Fed debasement and asset pumping. 95+% of whom are Americans.
Interesting to hear people refer to intellectual property as “ours”, as if it were some common public good.
They actually own no part of it, and are probably paying for it in many things they buy, such as pills. Most intellectual property belongs to multi-nationals that make a point of collecting or buying it and turning a profit on stuff they didn’t actually invent themselves.
All Dear Leaders work hard to promulgate the nonsense that they are somehow “our” Dear Leader. Instead of just some thug robbing us. And, their propaganda and indoctrination machines, work just as hard to ensure we are stupid enough to continue falling for it.
tRump is panicking as he is losing the re-election hope, because he has completely messed up the handling of the pandemic. The only possible way to turn around the situation is to launch a war with China or Iran. Just look at all the provocations made by the USG: demonizing China in all possible ways; killing private company Huawei and others; passing all possible laws related to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang; military provocations near Chinese coast with 2 Aircraft Carriers on a daily basis. USG has been escalating provocations against China, such that it can deflect american people’s attention away from the pandemic.
Very good synopsis. I was already tracking those to write up in an article
An advantage to having a new Overlord — cutting out the middleman (Wall Street).
Hhmm, doesn’t sound so bad … as long as I don’t have to eat mice / bats …
I think this is unlikely, & I doubt this is just an electioneering publicity stunt. I suspect China has been caught going beyond just spying, or planning to. Closing a consulate isn’t something done lightly. A normal smack on the wrist would be to send some diplomats packing, not close the whole place.
You may be on to something. If we went to war against China it would unite Americans in a way only war can.
They discovered it was a republican ballot paper burning trial run ?
I wish they would close all Chinese and Russian consulates and embassies and deport all Chinese and Russian nationals.
For starters it would crucify universities. Chinese students pay full price.
Good point. I can see the CCP threatening to ban all Chinese students from studying in the US, although it would only remain a threat — too much access to too much good stuff!
Covid discrepancy will pretty much keep the Chinese home for now. At least the ones not already here.
Has Covid-19 really made you that sick?
No I thought this before Covid-19. Both countries have had domestic espionage operations for over 20 years now. And before you or anyone says “The US blah blah blah”. I’m fine with other countries expelling all US citizens if they think they are spying. Let’s bring everyone home and let all countries stand or fall on their own merit.
Sounds a little racist.
These kinds of sentiments have never yielded good results, but trade and exchange have usually brought people close together than outright enmity and ostracism.
How can I be racist when I’m an immigrant ? I just don’t think Russia and China are anything more than closed societies that have no open anything including free press. If the truth ever came out, we would find they are probably the worst offenders of human rights violations.
By the way, Mish’s blog is blocked in China. I’m not sure about Russia. I’ve had Russian, Iranian and Chinese “companies” try to recruit me over the last 10 years because of my cybersecurity background. These weren’t really companies at all but front operations for recruiting US citizens to spy against private corporations for intellectual property. I worked for a US company that caught Chinese employees sending IP back through their laptop camera to a server that went back to the Chinese government. I think one day soon Americans will be very surprised to find out that Trump is caught between Russia and China and being played as a Russian asset.
Nooo… China is spying on us???
War Games
South China Seas Style
I would love a peek at Pentagon’s simulation if “something” were to happen in the Spratlys. Both US and China (expected) responses.