China imposes fresh curbs on US embassy and consulate staff

The diplomatic war between China and USA opened a new chapter as China imposed curbs on staff of US embassy and consulates located on Mainland China and in Hong Kong. Beijing has already imposed restrictions on US diplomats.

However, no details have been given as to the nature of these curbs

The diplomatic tussle between the US and China has been going on for months. Even US President Donald Trump has upped the ante on China as US presidential elections 2020 approach.

In July, US ordered China to close its consulate in Houston for what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described as "stealing" intellectual property.

Soon China ordered closure of US consulate in the city of Chengdu.

Fresh curbs on US embassy and consulate staff have come as US declared last week that Chinese diplomats would be required to obtain approval from US State Department before visiting campuses of US Universities or holding cultural events of more than 50 people outside mission grounds.

About these restrictions, Pompeo maintained that the US was "simply demanding reciprocity".

The restrictions had drawn a strong reaction from the Chinese side. Chinese Embassy in Washington had termed this as "yet another unjustified restriction and barrier on Chinese diplomatic and consular personnel" that "runs counter to the self-proclaimed values of openness and freedom of the U.S. side."

US State Department had previously written to boards of US universities about the threat from Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

"These threats can come in the form of illicit funding for research, intellectual property theft, intimidation of foreign students and opaque talent recruitment efforts," Pompeo said.