‘Reckless provocation of confrontation’: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi blasts US after consulate closures

China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday slammed the United States for “reckless provocation of confrontation” after the two countries ordered tit-for-tat closures of each other's consulates.

In a call with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, Wang warned that China-US relations could “fall into the abyss of confrontation,” AFP said. He also called for the international community to resist “any unilateral or hegemonic act,” according to a transcript published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

However, Wang also called for “rational communication” between Beijing and Washington.