Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed it a hub for spying on American companies and researchers.
Moments before the eviction deadline, the Houston police set up barricades, closing off streets near the consulate the Chinese government has been using for four decades.
In a tit-for-tat move, Chinese Foreign Ministry on the same day informed the US Embassy in China of its decision to withdraw its consent for the establishment and operation of the US Consulate General in Chengdu.