China's top diplomat to U.S. says Beijing does not want escalation with U.S.

China does not wish to see tensions between Beijing and Washington escalate further following tit-for-tat consulate closures over the past weeks, the Chinese ambassador to the United States said on Tuesday. "I don't think a new Cold War would serve anybody's interest," Cui Tiankai told Aspen Security Forum held virtually via Zoom.

Ties between the world's top two economies have sharply deteriorated since the United States last month ordered China to shut its consulate in Houston, triggering a response from Beijing to close the U.S. consulate in Chengdu.