<p>US allegations that China's consulate in Houston is stealing intellectual property are malicious slander, China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The United States said on Wednesday it had given China 72 hours to close the consulate "to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information", prompting Chinese threats of retaliation.</p>.<p><strong>READ: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/tensions-soar-as-united-states-orders-china-consulate-shut-864483.html" target="_blank">Tensions soar as United States orders China consulate shut</a></strong></p>.<p>When asked about reports that a Chinese researcher accused of visa fraud and concealing ties to the military was now holed up in China's consulate in San Francisco, Wang, speaking at a daily news conference in Beijing, said that China urged the United States to stop using any excuse to limit, harass or crackdown on Chinese scholars in the country.</p>
<p>US allegations that China's consulate in Houston is stealing intellectual property are malicious slander, China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.</p>.<p>The United States said on Wednesday it had given China 72 hours to close the consulate "to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information", prompting Chinese threats of retaliation.</p>.<p><strong>READ: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/tensions-soar-as-united-states-orders-china-consulate-shut-864483.html" target="_blank">Tensions soar as United States orders China consulate shut</a></strong></p>.<p>When asked about reports that a Chinese researcher accused of visa fraud and concealing ties to the military was now holed up in China's consulate in San Francisco, Wang, speaking at a daily news conference in Beijing, said that China urged the United States to stop using any excuse to limit, harass or crackdown on Chinese scholars in the country.</p>