In a move that has sent alarm bells ringing, China is reportedly scheming to set up an eavesdropping outpost in Cuba, just 100 miles from the US mainland. As per insiders privy to this highly classified intelligence, China’s covert base will be primarily focused on intercepting electronic communications from U.S. networks across the southeastern United States.
The proposed spy base not only poses a formidable challenge to US sovereignty but also indicates China’s audacious maneuvering in global geopolitics. To host this spy base, Cuba has been offered several billion dollars, and both nations have given a preliminary nod to this arrangement.
The Biden administration was reportedly taken aback by uncovering this informal agreement. The planned signals intelligence base in Cuba would accord Beijing, America’s most prominent military and political adversary, unprecedented access to vital information about the US. This could potentially be exploited to thwart American interests.
While not commenting directly on the report, John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, acknowledged China’s worldwide efforts to invest in infrastructure with potential military applications, including in this hemisphere. “We keep a close eye on it, take steps to counter it, and are confident in our ability to meet all our security commitments at home, in the region, and around the globe,” Kirby informed.
U.S. intelligence recently stumbled upon these plans, which are believed to be authentic. However, the specifics of the base’s location or the commencement of construction remain unknown. Moreover, the officials didn’t elaborate on how the Biden administration plans to obstruct these audacious moves.
Craig Singleton, an analyst at the Foundation For Defense of Democracies, warned, “Establishing this facility marks a new, escalators phase in China’s broader defense strategy. The selection of Cuba is also intentionally provocative.”
Signals intelligence includes data gathered from emails, phone calls, satellite transmissions, and other forms of electronic communication.
This proposed base in Cuba, a mere stone’s throw from Florida, could also monitor shipping traffic around the Caribbean. Florida is home to 21 U.S. military bases, including the headquarters of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base.
These unsettling revelations come at a time when the Biden administration is attempting to mend its strained relationship with Beijing and rebuild communication channels that China severed after a contentious incident involving a spy balloon.
China had launched a surveillance balloon that traveled across the U.S., allegedly gathering information from various sensitive U.S. military sites. The U.S. responded by shooting down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina.
In the wake of these alarming developments, it remains to be seen how the Biden administration will navigate the growing discord with China while safeguarding American interests.
