Diplomatic Pockets, Objects That Make China-US Relations Hotter

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The United States opened China's diplomatic enclave without rights. Beijing is outraged and will prepare countermeasures.

A diplomatic pocket is one of the immunity correspondence that a diplomatic representative can have. This immunity can be used to establish communication freely without being hindered in the form of an investigation or search by another country.

The diplomatic bag belonging to the diplomatic representative of a country cannot be opened or inspected by another country, either the receiving country or a third country. However, the dipolomatic bag must have a visible outer mark to indicate that the package is a diplomatic bag which cannot be disturbed because it contains diplomatic goods and documents.

"The US opened China's diplomatic pockets twice without permission in July 2018 and January 2020. This is a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and a grave breach of China's diplomatic dignity and security interests," the spokesman said. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (MFA) Wang Wenbin, Thursday, July 23, reported by Antara.

Article 27 Paragraph 3 of the 1961 Vienna Convention provides for this immunity. The affirmation is strict. So, with the two incidents carried out by the US, China will prepare a serious statement to the US side. The US itself has not denied the Chinese accusations.

However, the US has repeatedly presented technical reasons for evading responsibility for wrongdoing. "What the US has done is contrary to international law and ethics governing international relations and deserves criticism," Wang said.

Earlier, on Wednesday, July 22, the US also forced China to close its consulate general in Houston within 72 hours at the latest. Wang stated that the action was not justified because China's diplomatic mission in the US, including its consul general in Houston, was to support bilateral partnerships and cooperation as well as observation of international law and applicable law in the US.

The consulate general in Houston is China's first consul general in the US to open after the two countries established diplomatic relations. "For more than 40 years, the consul general has supported partnership, bilateral cooperation, and mutual understanding. The US accusation that the Chinese consulate general in Houston carried out activities outside of his authority is a big slander," said Wang.

The request for the closure of the Chinese Consul General in Houston, he explained, was a serious violation of international law that could damage bilateral relations. "China will take necessary countermeasures against irrational US actions," he said.