Yup, they are.
And here’s why they’re burning docs. “Cease all operations and events” at its Houston consulate.
US orders closure of Chinese consulate in Houston
And now the Chinese want to retaliate.
“China on Wednesday condemned what it called an “unprecedented escalation" by the United States and threatened to retaliate after it was ordered to close the Chinese consulate in Houston.”
China threatens retaliation after US orders closure of Houston consulate
Seems to remind me of the morning of Dec 7, 1941, Infamy day. The Japanese ambassador was instructed to deliver a document of some notable consequence, by a time certain. Further instructions directed the ambassador to immediately burn all pertinent documents.
Sound familiar?
Seems certain that the Chinese were running fairly heavy espionage out of this consulate: NASA, military-related, etc.
China will retaliate - normal; but why didn't we retaliate when HRC's open email server led to all of our U.S. assets in China being executed?