The US says it acted to shut the Chinese consulate in Houston because of commercial espionage and intellectual property theft from American companies, but analysts view the move as part of efforts to ensure President Donald Trump’s re-election in November. China has vowed to retaliate, and experts believe it will act soon to close possibly the US consulate in Chengdu or Hong Kong. Assistant Professor Dr Hoo Tiang Boon, who studies US-China relations at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies said he believe Chengdu is a probable target, given that the US consulate there is responsible for monitoring activities in western China, including sensitive provinces like Tibet and Xinjiang.