US Officials Say China Is Planning A New Military Training Facility In Cuba

 

Politico: China negotiating with Havana about joint military training facility in Cuba 

It’s unclear if Beijing and Havana have already struck a deal, or when one would be completed. 

China and Cuba are in active conversations about creating a new joint military training facility on the island nation 100 miles from the American homeland. 

According to a senior U.S. official, Beijing and Havana are discussing what kind of training would take place at the facility and what the leadership structure would look like. Biden administration officials have brought up these talks with their counterparts in Beijing and Havana. It’s unclear, however, how far along China and Cuba are in their chats about the prospects for a deal, the official said.  

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Update #1: China, Cuba in Talks on New Military Training Site, WSJ Says (Bloomberg)  

Update #2: China Plans a New Military Training Facility in Cuba WSJ (Reuters)  

WNU Editor: I guess Beijing is not listening to US Secretary of State Blinken .... Blinken Says Warned Chinese Leaders About Cuba (AFP).  

Update #3: China is denying these reports .... China Has No Information on Military Training Facility in Cuba (Telesur).

White House Says China Has Been Using Cuba As A Spy Base For Years

The US embassy in Havana next to the Cuban capital's Anti-Imperialist stage [File: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters  

The Guardian: China has used Cuba as spy base for years, US official says 

Chinese intelligence collection from Cuba predates the Biden era, with facilities upgraded in 2019, White House official says 

China has been spying from Cuba for some time and upgraded its intelligence collection facilities there in 2019, a Biden administration official said on Saturday, following a report about a new spying effort underway on the island. 

China had reached a secret deal with Cuba to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island roughly 100 miles (160km) from Florida, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday but the US and Cuban governments cast strong doubt on the report.  

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White House Says China Has Been Using Cuba As A Spy Base For Years 

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

China using secret base in Cuba to spy on U.S., Biden admin official confirms -- Politico  

China Has Had a Spy Base in Cuba for Years, U.S. Official Says -- DNYUZ/New York Times 

US confirms China maintains spy base in Cuba -- DW 

China Has Been Operating A Spy Base In Cuba Since At Least 2019, Says US Report -- Republic World

White House, China, And Cuba Are Denying Reports That China Is Seeking A Spy Base In Cuba

 

Bloomberg: White House denies report that China is building a spy base on Cuba 

The Wall Street Journal reported that China and Cuba had struck a multi-billion dollar secret agreement to establish a spy facility on the island 

The White House pushed back on a report that the Chinese government cut a deal with Cuba to set up a spy base on the island that would target U.S. military bases and communications. 

“I’ve seen that press report. It’s not accurate,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in an interview on MSNBC, without specifying if the report was false in its entirety.  

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White House, China, And Cuba Are Denying Reports That China Is Seeking A Spy Base In Cuba  

Cuban, US governments deny secret Chinese spy base in Cuba -- DW  

Pentagon and White House deny reports that China plans to build spy station in Cuba -- NYPost  

China to build spy base in Cuba, WSJ says; US casts doubt on report -- Reuters  

White House Denies Report China Seeking Spy Base In Cuba, But Menendez Demands Answers -- Zero Hedge  

China: 'Hacker Empire' US Is 'Spreading Rumours' With Talk of Cuba Spy Station -- Reuters 

China calls US the ‘most powerful hacker empire’ as it denies deal to set up Cuba spy station -- The Independent

China To Place An Intelligence Base On Cuba To Gather Electronic Communications From The U.S.

Reuters: China to Post Spy Facility in Cuba off Southeastern US -WSJ 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China has reached a secret deal with Cuba to place an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island roughly 100 miles from Florida, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing U.S. officials familiar with classified intelligence. 

 Such a facility would allow Beijing to gather electronic communications from the southeastern United States, which houses many U.S. military bases, as well as monitor ship traffic, the newspaper reported. 

The countries have reached an agreement in principle, the officials said, with China to pay Cuba "several billion dollars" to allow the eavesdropping station, according to the Journal. 

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on the report. The Chinese and Cuban embassies in Washington also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  

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Update #1: China seeking to spy on the U.S. from a base in Cuba (Politico)  

Update #2: China To Set Up Secret Spy Base On America’s Doorstep: REPORT (Daily Caller)  

Update #3: China reach secret agreement with Cuba to develop an eavesdropping facility in new security challenge for United States (SKY News)  

WNU Editor: The impact of such a Chinese listening post in Cuba are huge .... China’s Alleged Plan to Open a Spy Base in Cuba: Ramifications for US Security and Political Fallout for President Biden (The Intel-Drop). 

China is also expanding its influence in the Americas beyond Cuba .... China expands economic reach in US’ backyard (Asia Times).