China has a spy base in Cuba, which has been there since at least 2019, about 100 miles from Florida. This was confirmed by the Biden administration on Saturday, following the declassification of new documents. According to the official who provided the information, this facility is one of dozens that China has built, or intends to build, throughout the world to expand its intelligence capacity and develop military activities.
According to an official, who requested to remain anonymous, U.S. intelligence has been aware, and has documented the spy base’s activities since as early as 2019, when unspecified improvements were made to the facility. However, the person in charge of providing the information from the White House refused to indicate the exact date when the base opened on the island, claiming that he was not authorized to do so, according to The Washington Post.
The same source insisted that the base on the island "is not a new, more aggressive action" by the Chinese Communist government. However, he acknowledged that it is "It’s certainly a troubling and concerning pattern of behavior. We have a problem with it and are working to counter it."
The White House previously denied the spy base
The White House and the Pentagon have since acknowledged that they knew about the spy base after both institutions previously denied its existence earlier this week. In recent days, The Wall Street Journal published that China and Cuba reached an agreement that involved China paying billions of dollars for the island's authorities to build the facility that they would use to intercept communications from military bases in the area and monitor maritime traffic.
John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman, pointed out that the WSJ's information "is not accurate.” He added: "What I can tell you is that we've 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."
"Unacceptable contradiction in less than 48 hours"
From the Republican Party, Mike Turner, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, condemned this "unacceptable" contradiction in less than 48 hours and demanded that the president stop "ignoring the threat from China."
President Biden needs to stop ignoring the threat from China.
In less than 48 hours, officials from the Biden Administration have contradicted themselves multiple times about whether or not the Chinese Communist Party is spying on the United States.
This is unacceptable. https://t.co/l3IAqxBbvZ
— US Rep. Mike Turner (@RepMikeTurner) June 10, 2023
Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, also demanded explanations from the Biden administration, claiming that it appears to be an attempt to mislead the public. "Why did the Biden Administration previously deny these reports of a spy base [by CCP] in Cuba? Without a coherent explanation, we must conclude that they are deliberately misleading the American people and whitewashing CCP aggression."
China and Cuba accuse US of "chasing shadows"
China and Cuba denied the information, stating that it was "speculation" and misinformation from the U.S. The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Regime, Carlos Fernández de Cossio, said that it is "totally mendacious and unfounded information,” "slanderous statements fabricated by U.S. officials" which are "all fallacies promoted with the malicious intention to justify the unprecedented reinforcement of the economic blockade, destabilization and aggression against Cuba and to deceive public opinion in the United States and around the world."
Declaración del viceministro de Relaciones Exteriores de la República de #Cuba🇨🇺, Carlos Fernández de Cossio @CarlosFdeCossio https://t.co/rPLhF4MyxW
— Asamblea Nacional Cuba (@AsambleaCuba) June 8, 2023
Wang Wenbin, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "It is well known that the US is an expert at chasing shadows and meddling in other country's internal affairs. The United States is the world champion of hacking and the surveillance superpower."
Warner and Rubio demand action on this "serious threat"
The chairman of the Intelligence Committee in the Upper House, Mark Warner, and Florida senator and vice-chairman of the above-mentioned committee Marco Rubio issued a statement in which they said they were "deeply disturbed" to learn this information. Both legislators considered the existence of a Chinese base so close to the U.S. to be “unacceptable” and called on Biden to "take measures to prevent this serious threat to our national security and sovereignty.”
We are deeply disturbed by reports that Havana and Beijing are working together to target the United States and our people. The United States must respond to China’s ongoing and brazen attacks on our nation’s security. We must be clear that it would be unacceptable for China to establish an intelligence facility within 100 miles of Florida and the United States, in an area also populated with key military installations and extensive maritime traffic. We urge the Biden administration to take steps to prevent this serious threat to our national security and sovereignty.
Issued a statement as Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence w/ Chairman @MarkWarner after reports China & Cuba reached an agreement allowing 🇨🇳 to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island, less than 100 miles from FL.https://t.co/zF1uewIpL7 pic.twitter.com/6I5AVjFfQM
— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) June 8, 2023
