This archive report was first published on 16 December 2019.
December 16, 2019, marked a significant development in the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China. The US had expelled Chinese diplomats from a military base in Virginia, citing suspicions of espionage.
China's foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, strongly denied the allegations, calling them 'completely contrary to the facts.' He urged the US to correct its mistake and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese diplomats.
The incident is believed to be the first time in over 30 years that the US has expelled Chinese diplomats on suspicion of espionage. At least one of the diplomats was reportedly an intelligence officer operating under cover.
As a response to the US actions, China announced measures against US diplomats in the country. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated that the move was a 'countermeasure' to Washington's decision to restrict Chinese diplomats earlier in October.
The US-China tensions have been escalating over several issues, including the situations in Hong Kong and China's northwestern region of Xinjiang. The US House of Representatives recently passed legislation seeking sanctions against senior Chinese officials over Xinjiang, where an estimated one million mostly Muslim minorities have been detained in re-education camps.
