There were no other injuries in the shooting, which took place at about 6 a.m. before the consulate was open for the day, said Officer Michael Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department.
"Numerous rounds impacted the Chinese consulate," Lopez said.
Lopez said the man was discovered in his car dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another man, also dead, was found in the car as well.
Authorities did not immediately identify the gunman and had few other details about the incident. Lopez said police did not typically release information about suicides.
In 2011 a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from China was arrested after police said he opened fire at the same building with a handgun. There were no injuries in that incident.