Suspicious Substance Disrupts U.S. Consulate in China

BEIJING — Staff members at the United States Consulate in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou discovered a suspicious substance in an envelope on Monday, prompting the closing of some operations. The substance, which was found in a part of the consulate not open to the public, has yet to be identified. No consulate workers have suffered any ill effects and no visitors are believed to have been exposed, said Nolan Barkhouse, a spokesman for the United States Embassy in Beijing. “The consulate has notified Chinese authorities and is maintaining close contact with them in case any assistance becomes necessary,” Mr. Barkhouse said. The consulate was closed for visa interviews on Tuesday and will remain closed Wednesday pending an investigation. The consulate handles 121,000 visa applications annually and processes all immigrant visas for Chinese children adopted by American citizens.