China has been operating a spy base in Cuba since 2019 to boost its intelligence-gathering capabilities around the world, according to a US official in the Biden administration.
The official disclosed that the US intelligence community has long been aware of China’s espionage activities in Cuba and its broader efforts to establish similar operations globally. The Biden administration has been active in countering China’s expanding spying operations, making progress through diplomatic channels and unspecified actions.
The presence of the Chinese spy base was confirmed after JEE News report said China and Cuba had reached a preliminary agreement to build an electronic airdropping station on the island. However, both the White House and Cuban officials disputed the accuracy of the report.
Relations between the US and China have been strained during Biden’s presidency, with tensions rising after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and the US shooting down a Chinese spy balloon that entered US airspace. Despite these disputes, the White House has expressed a desire to resume high-level contacts with China.
A recent anonymous Biden administration official clarified that China has been spying on Cuba for some time, with an upgrade of its intelligence facilities in 2019. The official denied some of the media’s characterizations but did not provide specific details or address the possibility of new leaks.
The Chinese embassy in Washington dismissed the allegations as US rumours, while the Cuban government dismissed JEE News report as completely false. Efforts to ease tensions between the US and China include a planned visit to China by Secretary of State Anthony Blanken, which was initially canceled due to the spy balloon incident.
A Biden administration official acknowledged that the previous administration was aware of China’s efforts to establish a base in Cuba, but claimed that more progress was needed. The United States has held talks with governments considering hosting Chinese bases and shared information with them to mitigate China’s ambitions.
