{"id":3923,"date":"2026-08-05T21:00:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T21:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=3923"},"modified":"2026-08-05T21:00:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T21:00:04","slug":"us-to-shut-five-consulates-as-critics-fear-china-could-fill-diplomatic-vacuum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=3923","title":{"rendered":"US to shut five consulates as critics fear China could fill diplomatic vacuum"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"16e2fd05-cc03-45e3-b46d-dd083f9aa148\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a sign next to a building \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/2d303f1c00bd3175b4c5f7faebac7877b8e08984\/0_0_5834_3889\/master\/5834.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"309.9734316078162\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.<\/span> Photograph: Bloomberg\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"16e2fd05-cc03-45e3-b46d-dd083f9aa148\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state.<\/span> Photograph: Bloomberg\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">US to shut five consulates as critics fear China could fill diplomatic vacuum<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>State department informs Congress of planned closures in Canada, Grenada, Japan, Indonesia and Cameroon<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The US state department is to shut five foreign consulates and missions across Asia, Africa, North America and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/caribbean\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Caribbean<\/a>, drawing criticism that it is leaving a diplomatic vacuum at risk of being filled by China.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The US Congress has been served notice of the impending closures, which are being justified on cost grounds and follow a reassessment of the US\u2019s bilateral relationships with a range of countries since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">According to a notice served to several congressional committees, missions will close in St George\u2019s, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The closures will continue a process of cutbacks in US state department operations overseen by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. Last year, the department <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/layoffs-diplomats-state-department-trump-rubio-bfdb86767b7bd5b6570819d404a7782e\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">fired more than 1,300 employees,<\/a> including 246 foreign services officers and 1,107 civil servants.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">More than half of the US\u2019s 195 ambassadorial posts around the world remain unfilled, including in keys locations such as Germany, Cuba, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/afsa.org\/list-ambassadorial-appointments\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">American Foreign Service Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Democrats have criticized the latest planned closures, saying it risked leaving the field free for China.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cChina has a diplomatic presence in three of the five locations where the state department is closing shop and Beijing is going to exploit that new vacuum to undercut American interests,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shaheen.senate.gov\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Jeanne Shaheen<\/a>, the top Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe yearly operating costs of these diplomatic facilities represent a tiny fraction of the state department\u2019s yearly budget,\u201d Shaheen added. \u201cIs that worth pulling back from these places where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/china\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">China<\/a> is present?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The decision to close the consulate in Winnipeg has come in for criticism in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/canada\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Canada<\/a>, on which Trump recently announced the imposition of 50% tariffs on a range of goods.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Opened in 2001, the Winnipeg consulate has served to facilitate trade and investment issues mainly relating to the province of Manitoba, of which Winnipeg is the capital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Brad Kirbyson, a former political specialist who worked at the consulate for 20 years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/manitoba\/american-consulate-closure-winnipeg-9.7296289#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20State%20Department%20is%20planning%20a,is%20the%20only%20closure%20in%20North%20America.\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">told the Canadian broadcaster CBC<\/a> the closure could harm US interests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019ll save them a few dollars, but I think the net effect is to lose touch with a broad swath of Canada by not having a presence there,\u201d he said. \u201cThe United States found that it was a very long way between the US consulate in Calgary and the [one] in Toronto.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cIt makes a lot of sense to have a consulate in the middle of the country that can cover issues in this part of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A spokesperson for the Canadian embassy in Washington said: \u201cCanada and the US have a long history of collaboration on areas of shared interest, including through our foreign offices in both countries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">China does not have a diplomatic mission in Winnipeg, but it has a presence in St George\u2019s, Nagoya and Medan. The US mission in St George\u2019s, the capital of the Caribbean island of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/grenada\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Grenada<\/a>, has full embassy status, while the Douala facility is defined as an \u201cembassy branch office\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A state department spokesperson said: \u201cThe department is committed to following congressional notification procedures including post closures. We have nothing further to report at this time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe are focused on ensuring our diplomatic footprint is efficient, effective and delivers results for the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The White House\u2019s office of management and budget has argued for a much more extensive closure program of up to 30 foreign missions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Democrats, supported by national security and foreign policy specialists, have countered that such moves will dangerously reduce the US\u2019s diplomatic footprint and global influence, especially when combined with last year\u2019s dismantling of USAID, the main overseas development body, which was drastically reduced in size before being bundled into the state department.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-foreign-policy\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US foreign policy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/china\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">China<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/cameroon\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Cameroon<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/indonesia\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Indonesia<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/japan\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Japan<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/grenada\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Grenada<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/world\/canada\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Canada<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US%20to%20shut%20five%20consulates%20as%20critics%20fear%20China%20could%20fill%20diplomatic%20vacuum&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/us-state-department-consulate-closures?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Faug%2F05%2Fus-state-department-consulate-closures&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/aug\/05\/us-state-department-consulate-closures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1kq7f60\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The closures are the latest in a process of cutbacks overseen by Marco Rubio, the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3925,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3923\/revisions\/3925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}