The Chinese government has long used its embassy and consulates in the U.S. to exert control over student groups, collect information on Uighurs and Chinese dissident groups, and coordinate local and state level political influence activities. https://www.axios.com/chinas-consulates-do-a-lot-more-than-spy-2c7c5e40-6bb8-4dfc-a704-f6eff28a9081.html

Every country spies. And many countries — including the U.S. — use their diplomatic outposts to do it. But for years, China has used its embassies and consulates to do far more than that.

The Trump administration's recent hardline stance against China's illicit consular activities is a public acknowledgment of real problems, but it comes at a time when U.S.-China relations are already dangerously tense.

The Houston consulate wasn't China's most important espionage hub.

"San Francisco is the real gem, but the U.S. won’t close it," a former U.S. intelligence official said. "The Houston consulate is definitely involved in spy stuff, but it’s small potatoes compared to the others."