US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said the Chinese consulate in Houston was a hub for espionage and operations to illegally obtain US companies’ trade secrets.
Washington had recently ordered the the consulate to be shut down.
Speaking on China’s threat to the world, Pompeo said: “This week we closed down China's consulate in Houston because it was a hub of spying and intellectual property theft.”
“China ripped off our prized intellectual property and trade secrets costing millions of jobs across America,” he added.
Pompeo has become increasingly vocal about China and its political manoeuvres.
Recently, Pompeo had urged the “entire world” to stand up to China to ensure that it “behaves” in ways that are “consistent with” the international order, according to media reports.
He had also appreciated India’s decision to ban 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, CamScanner, and UC Browser. He denounced the recent clashes with India “initiated’’ by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).