（中央社哥本哈根22日綜合外電報導）美國國務院今天說，美方下令中國駐休士頓總領事館關閉，是為了保護美國人的智慧財產與個人資料。
直到美方傍晚對此事發表聲明前，外界對此事已有不少揣測。其中有評論認為，休士頓總領事館銷毀的，可能是眾多持假護照、假身分入境，且以留學生或科研人員作掩護的中國間諜真實資料。
評論指出，這類資料存在於中國駐美大使館及各個總領事館，如果不銷毀，中國在美國布建的廣大間諜網，便可能毀於一旦。
呢次真係聞到火藥味
如果兩國互逐外交官，跟住開始撤僑，係咪就準備開片？
而家睇下雜種會唔會企硬還拖
畢竟戰狼雖遠必誅 
BBC有詳細報道，原來星期二美國司法部指控中共資助黑客偷肺炎疫苗，並起訴兩人
呢兩條友一月份就開始偷肺炎解藥，以前係EE學生，而家向中國
The accusations against former electrical engineering students Li Xiaoyu and Dong Jiazhi released on Tuesday include charges of trade secret theft and wire fraud conspiracy.
Prosecutors said the two men spied on a Massachusetts biotech firm in January which was known to be researching possible cures for Covid-19. They also hacked a Maryland company less than a week after it said it was researching Covid-19.
The indictment unsealed in Washington state said the two men - who reside in China - recently "researched vulnerabilities in the networks of biotech and other firms publicly known for work on Covid-19 vaccines, treatments, and testing technology".
星期二當日一收到命令，大使館員工就開始燒文件，夜晚8點煙大到有人打電話call消防，不過來到又唔俾入大使館
The first signs something unusual may be happening at the Houston consulate emerged on Tuesday, when people overlooking the building's courtyard noticed several bins on fire.
Footage shows people throwing what appears to be paper into the bins. It is not known who they were. People were later filmed appearing to pour water on the bins.
Emergency services were called to the building on Tuesday evening. However, the Houston police force said on Twitter officers "were not granted access to enter the building", but did see smoke.
今次應該斷正
三藩市會係下一個可能被關閉既機構
https://twitter.com/bethanyallenebr/status/1286056021073559553?s=12
亞太地區副國務卿David R. Stilwell直指侯斯頓總領館係中國軍方間諜中心
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3094315/beijings-consulate-houston-epicentre-research-theft
David Stilwell, the top East Asia official at the State Department, singled out the consulate in Houston
in a New York Times interview as having “a history of engaging in subversive behaviour”.The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been “sending students both overtly and otherwise to American universities to study things to advance their own warfare advantages in the economic world and the rest”, said Stilwell, adding that “at the epicentre of all these activities facilitated by the [People’s Republic of China] mission is this consulate in Houston”.
Stilwell also accused China’s consul general in Houston and other diplomats there of having recently engaged in questionable activity at Houston’s international airport, where they were escorting Chinese citizens onto a chartered flight to China.
Air China, which has made special flights to repatriate Chinese citizens amid the coronavirus pandemic, was holding paperwork with false birth dates for the diplomats, The Times reported Stilwell as saying.
多名美國官員向NBC反映侯斯頓總領館係諜報中心，一直用來偷醫藥研究同滲透油氣工業
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8551027/Chinese-consulate-Houston-closed-Trump-administration-hot-bed-spying.html
Sources on Wednesday told NBC that the consulate was known as being a center for Chinese spying.
Multiple U.S. officials told the network that the Houston consulate has long been used by the Chinese government to steal valuable medical research, and was involved in attempts to infiltrate the oil and natural gas industries.
They said the consulate is well-fortified, was hardened to prevent U.S. surveillance, and was a high-tech communications hub to coordinate and execute various spying operations.
Mark Warner, Democrat senator for Virginia and ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NBC News's Katy Tur that he would not discuss the specific intelligence behind Wednesday's closure.
'But I can tell you for the last two years, I and other members of the intel committee have been holding classified briefings with business leaders and academic leaders about the concerted efforts of the Chinese communist party to steal our intellectual property, to steal it from companies, to steal it from universities, to be on better guard,' he said.
Warner suggested the action was driven by the FBI and its intelligence.
原來侯斯頓隔籬有個癌症研究中心，舊年因牽涉偷取研究情報，有三個科研人員被驅逐，一個辭職，一個被懲處
Much of the interest in Houston has focused on the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In April 2019, three out of five scientists identified by federal authorities as being involved in efforts to steal American research on behalf of China at MD Anderson were ousted by the institution.
A fourth scientist resigned before the conclusion of the investigation, and the fifth was disciplined by the center.