BEIJING - Some personnel in the US consulate general in Chengdu have engaged in activities which are out of line with their identities to interfere in China's domestic affairs and undermine China's security interests, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

The US is "well aware" of the issue, over which China has lodged representations, Wang said at a daily news conference after the ministry told the US earlier that day to close the consulate

The US is "well aware" of the issue, over which China has lodged representations, Wang said at a daily news conference after the ministry told the US earlier that day to close the consulate.

The US launched a unilateral provocation on Tuesday by abruptly demanding that China close its consulate general in Houston, and China's request to close the US consulate general in Chengdu is a legitimate and necessary response, the ministry said in a statement.

"The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires to see, and the US is responsible for all this," Wang said, urging the US to revoke its order to close China's consulate general in Houston and create necessary conditions for bilateral ties to get back on track.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday informed the US Embassy in China of its decision to withdraw its consent for the establishment and operation of the US consulate general in Chengdu.

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The ministry also made specific requirements on the ceasing of all operations and events by the consulate general, said a statement issued by the ministry.

"The US move seriously breached international law, the basic norms of international relations, and the terms of the China-US Consular Convention. It gravely harmed China-US relations," the statement reads.

"The measure taken by China is a legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the United States. It conforms with international law, the basic norms of international relations, and customary diplomatic practices," reads the statement.

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"We once again urge the United States to immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track," it added.

With Xinhua inputs