Chinese officials have denied claims that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operates four intelligence sites in Cuba aimed at spying on the United States. The allegations were made in a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which analyzed satellite imagery of Cuban locations.
Foreign Minister Mao Ning responded to the accusations, asserting that China’s cooperation with Cuba is lawful and does not target any other country. Cuban officials also dismissed the report, with Foreign Minister Carlos de Cossio calling the claims propaganda designed to support U.S. sanctions against Cuba.
The CSIS report focused on four specific sites in Cuba, citing visible improvements in infrastructure despite the country’s ongoing economic difficulties. One facility near Bejucal includes underground structures and satellite antennas that could be used to intercept communications. Activity at the site was observed as recently as March 2024.
China has invested $7.8 billion in Cuban development projects over the years, strengthening its relationship with the island nation. This alliance has raised concerns in the U.S., given Cuba’s proximity to strategic locations like the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral.
In 2016, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) criticized the presence of a suspected Chinese surveillance station in Bejucal. Now nominated as Secretary of State by President-elect Donald Trump, Rubio may prioritize addressing these concerns as part of his agenda.
The denials from China and Cuba have done little to ease worries about Beijing’s expanding influence in the Western Hemisphere.
