China and Cuba, both communist countries, are rumored to be secretly planning to set up a spy station in Cuba. The news points to China’s intent to build a digital spy facility about 100 miles away from Florida. This facility would make it easy for Chinese intelligence to keep an eye on America and intercept digital communications across the southeast part of the United States, where many vital military bases are located.
BREAKING: Chinese spy station in Cuba has been found to be accurate, after the Biden admin denied it on Thursday.
According to the WSJ China made a secret agreement with Cuba to build a spy base on the island to gather intelligence from US bases along the southern seaboard.… pic.twitter.com/oHy5sJYwu4
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) June 10, 2023
The U.S. Central Command is stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. This command is responsible for managing U.S. military actions in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Fort Liberty, previously known as Fort Bragg and one of the Army’s largest military bases, is situated in North Carolina.
According to sources who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, China is ready to give several billion dollars to Cuba, which is in dire need of funds, to permit the spy facility’s construction. They claim that the two nations have, in principle, agreed on this matter.
Several U.S. officials confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that the information regarding the planned site in Cuba is compelling. They explained that the base would allow China to collect signal intelligence, including monitoring phone calls, emails, and satellite transmissions.
Reported China-Cuba spy station deal shows Beijing preparing for conflict with US, House rep says https://t.co/7bCTgAStME
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 10, 2023
The exact details about the supposed listening station, including its precise location or if construction has already started, remain undisclosed. These officials also expressed uncertainty about what steps the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration might take to prevent the completion of the facility.
Cuba and the White House Refute the News of a Potential Chinese Espionage Base. Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio in Havana disregarded the report as completely false, suggesting it was an American trick to justify the long-standing economic embargo against Cuba. He stated that Cuba refuses any foreign military presence in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Even the White House denied the Wall Street Journal’s story. John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, described it as “not accurate.”
“We remain certain that we can fulfill all our security obligations at home and in the region,” he said, without pinpointing what exactly was incorrect in the report. Kirby highlighted that the White House is worried about China’s relationship with Cuba and is keenly observing any progress in this area.
Department of Defense Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder also dismissed the news, denying any awareness of China and Cuba developing a new spy station. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., declined to comment on the report.
Despite the denial by both Cuba and the White House, a joint statement from the Senate Intelligence Committee shows that top lawmakers are convinced. They highlighted that a Chinese listening post in Cuba could pose a “serious threat to our national security and sovereignty” and urged President Biden and his administration to act.
“If the existence of the espionage facility is confirmed by China, they could argue that it is a justifiable counter to U.S. military and intelligence activities near China,” noted analysts.
The argument could include U.S. military aircraft flights over the South China Sea, surveillance against Chinese vessels and bases in international waters claimed by China, and the regular sale of arms and military vehicles to Taiwan by the U.S., including a small troop presence for training and frequent U.S. Navy shows of force through the Taiwan Strait.
“The establishment of this facility indicates a new, rising stage in China’s broader defense strategy,” warned Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the national security think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He also added that the choice of Cuba was “intentionally provocative.”