美国国务院宣布关闭位于格林纳达圣乔治、日本名古屋、印度尼西亚棉兰、喀麦隆杜阿拉和加拿大温尼伯的五个领事馆和外交使团[1]。国务院以成本削减为由作出这一决定[1]。参议院外交委员会民主党领袖珍妮·沙希恩对此表示关切，指出"中国在国务院关闭的五个地点中的三个地点有外交存在"[1]。
这一举措是国务院更广泛预算紧缩的一部分。去年美国国务院共裁员超过1,300人，其中包括246名外交官和1,107名公务员[1]。目前，美国195个驻外大使馆职位中超过一半仍未填补[1]。白宫管理和预算办公室曾主张关闭至多30个外交使团[1]。温尼伯领事馆自2001年开设以来，主要处理马尼托巴省的贸易和投资问题[1]。
The U.S. State Department announced the closure of five consulates and diplomatic missions as part of cost-reduction measures [1]. The facilities to be shuttered are located in Saint George, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada [1].
Democrats have raised alarm over the decision, citing the risk of creating diplomatic vacuums that China could exploit. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Leader Jeanne Shaheen noted that "China has a diplomatic presence in three of the five locations where the State Department is closing" [1]. The Winnipeg consulate, which opened in 2001 and primarily handled trade and investment matters for Manitoba province, represents a particular concern given its role in regional economic engagement [1].
The closures follow significant recent staffing reductions at the State Department, which shed over 1,300 personnel last year, including 246 diplomats and 1,107 civil servants [1]. More broadly, over half of the 195 U.S. ambassador positions abroad remain unfilled [1]. The White House Office of Management and Budget has advocated for the closure of as many as 30 diplomatic posts [1].