US Attacks 41-Year-Old Deng Xiaoping Legacy That Ended the Cold War

Chinese Consulate in Houston Opens Shortly After Deng Xiaoping's Visit
Deng Wins American Hearts with Cowboy Hat Event
US Media Also Notes Ripple Effect

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Concerns are growing that the crisis in US-China relations may escalate as the United States orders the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston.

Deng Xiaoping is wearing a cowboy hat while watching a rodeo event during his visit to Houston in 1979. (AP Yonhap News)

US media evaluated that Houston holds significant symbolic meaning in this move, as it was the area visited by Deng Xiaoping, then Chairman of the Central Military Commission, during his first visit to the US immediately after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China in January 1979.

ABC News reported on the 22nd (local time) that the Chinese consulate in Houston opened in 1979, shortly after Deng Xiaoping's visit. Deng, the first Chinese leader to visit the US, toured major industrial facilities across the country as well as holding a summit in Washington DC. In Houston, he visited NASA to experience America's advanced industries.

In particular, Deng Xiaoping's attendance at a rodeo game in Houston remains vividly remembered by Americans. Despite his small stature of 158 cm, Deng wore an enormous cowboy hat that was disproportionate to his size and greeted the audience, which helped ease American suspicions toward China. Despite warnings from the Soviet Union, he pursued improved relations with the US and led the end of the Cold War era between the two countries.

Chinese consulate staff in Houston are burning documents (Twitter capture)

Deng Xiaoping's appearance at the time was interpreted as a signal to resolve the conflicts between the US and China, which had been adversaries since the Korean War. The 'Black Cat, White Cat' theory he advocated after returning from his US visit became the foundation for China's opening and development.

The current state of Houston, 41 years later, reflects the changed status of bilateral relations. According to witnesses near the consulate, Chinese consulate staff in Houston were seen putting various documents into trash bins and burning them on the afternoon of the 21st. Fire trucks dispatched after a fire report arrived at the consulate but were unable to enter and only stood guard, a scene that spread through TV and Twitter.

Local media reported that consulate staff were ordered to vacate the building by Friday, and subsequently, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the US directive to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, exposing the full situation.

Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the State Department, stated on the 22nd, "Under the Vienna Convention, each country has an obligation not to interfere in the internal affairs of another country," adding, "The United States will not tolerate China violating our sovereignty and threatening our people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.