Let’s up the ante: Bring home all of our consulates except Guangzhou and Beijing. Close ALL ChiCom embassies in the US except NYC and DC, with minimal staffing only. Restrict the travels of all ChiCom “diplomats” exactly as they do our personnel in China.
We really don’t want to lose the intelligence flow that can only come from Chinese embassies.
“Let’s up the ante”
That is what I expect - just how the Administration will do so is the real mystery.
Nobody saw the Houston Consulate closing coming. The next escalation could be from a very different angle.
One rumor, is a US travel ban on all 92 million members of the Chinese communist Party, and their family members - revoking all their existing visas, pulling the kids out of school, disrupting their businesses, etc..
There would be hell to pay back home, for Winnie the Xi, trying to ‘splain that to all the aggravated rank and file.
The Wuhon consolate will soon be underwater when the TGD busts.
Up the ante by formally recognizing Taiwan. China may decide to close the consulates themselves.