US confirms China has had a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019

67

An undisclosed source within the Biden administration has confirmed that since at least 2019, China has been running an intelligence base in Cuba. This is part of Beijing’s global attempt to enhance its surveillance capacities.

The source, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization for public comment, stated that US intelligence has been cognizant of China’s Cuban-based spying activities and broader ambition to set up intelligence operations worldwide for quite some time.

The Biden administration is said to be intensifying efforts to counteract the Chinese expansion of their intelligence operations. Some diplomatic progress and other unmentioned actions have been made in this regard, as per the administration source.

The Wall Street Journal report on Thursday sparked confirmation of the existence of the Chinese spy base, announcing that an agreement had been reached between China and Cuba in principle to establish an electronic eavesdropping station on the island. As part of the negotiations, China allegedly planned to pay billions of dollars to cash-strapped Cuba.

Nevertheless, both the White House and Cuban authorities have disputed the accuracy of the report. In an MSNBC interview, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated, “I’ve seen that press report, it’s not accurate. What I can tell you is that we have been concerned since day one of this administration about China’s influence activities around the world; certainly in this hemisphere and in this region, we’re watching this very, very closely.”

It was emphasized by the administration source that the US intelligence community views the issue of Chinese espionage from Cuba as a continuous concern rather than a new phenomenon.

In January 2021, the Biden administration was briefed about Beijing’s potential expansion of logistics, basing, and collection infrastructures in various regions worldwide, including across the Atlantic Ocean, Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and the Indo-Pacific. In 2019, China reportedly upgraded its Cuban intelligence facilities.

Throughout President Biden’s term, US-China relations have been notably strained. After a visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, relations deteriorated further. Also contributing to the tension was an incident earlier this year when the US intercepted a Chinese surveillance balloon that had ventured into US airspace.

Despite the discord, the White House is eager to restart high-level dialogues with China. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit China next week, an endeavor that was previously postponed due to the balloon incident. It is expected that Blinken will meet with high-ranking Chinese officials on June 18 in Beijing, according to anonymous US officials.

CIA Director William Burns held talks with his Chinese equivalent last month, and Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, met with his Chinese counterpart in Vienna over two days in May to express the administration’s desire to bolster high-level communication with China.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin briefly engaged with Li Shangfu, China’s minister of national defense, at the inaugural dinner of a security forum in Singapore, despite China previously declining Austin’s request for a meeting on the forum’s sidelines.

Matthew Lee, AP Diplomatic Writer, contributed to this article.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chinese Spy Base in Cuba

More about Chinese Spy Base in Cuba

• China’s Global Intelligence Ambitions
• US-China Relations
• The Biden Administration’s China Policy
• China’s Influence in Latin America
• The Wall Street Journal’s Report