US planning to reopen consulate in China's Wuhan by late June amid rising tensions

The US State Department informed Congress that it is planning to resume operations at US Consulate in Wuhan on or around June 22 as US-China relations are at the “critical juncture”. The congressional notification from Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Mary Elizabeth Taylor stated that the department stands ready to modify the schedule according to the conditions.

The notification highlighted that it is critical for the US that its diplomatic posts in China are staffed at the “critical juncture” in US-China relations. In February, the United States temporarily suspended regular visa services at its Embassy in Beijing and the Consulates General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenyang. 

The US Embassy, in a statement, said that they have very limited staffing and may be unable to respond to requests regarding regular visa services. The virus outbreak prompted the US to evacuate hundreds of Americans, nonemergency personnel and families, and diplomats out of Wuhan with the help of State Department-chartered flights.

Read: Mike Pompeo Says US Considering Option Of Welcoming People From Hong Kong

Why at 'critical juncture'?

The US-China relations have hit a nadir after Washington kept accusing China of lack of transparency and hiding coronavirus data. During a White House press briefing on coronavirus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had opined that China should have shared their data sooner saying every country has the obligation to share that information timely and accurately.

“Every country has that responsibility. It started in China and so they have that special responsibility to get it right quickly and fast,” he said.

Recently, US Senator Rick Scott claimed that China is trying to sabotage or slowdown COVID-19 vaccine development by Western countries. Scott told BBC that the United States has evidence related to China’s alleged attempt to sabotage vaccine development by Western nations but didn’t give any details. He claimed that while the Western countries are going to share the vaccine with the world, China is not going to share it and that’s why trying to sabotage the development.

Read: COVID-19: China's Inactivated Vaccine Shows Protection Against Coronavirus In Animal Trial