China has been trying for years to expand its espionage operations from Cuba, where it perfected its capabilities in 2019. A White House official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that on Saturday.
The statement comes after several U.S. media reported in recent days that China and Cuba had secretly reached an agreement to place spy equipment on the island, some 160 kilometers from Florida. A White House spokesman had labeled that report as “incorrect.”
According to the White House official, U.S. President Joe Biden’s services are aware of “efforts” by China to “install bases worldwide,” particularly for espionage purposes. Those efforts include intelligence-gathering sites in Cuba, it sounds.
The US government is said to have “slowed” China’s projects for espionage purposes, but “challenges remain and we remain concerned about the relationship with Cuba,” it sounds.
The matter is diplomatically sensitive as the U.S. president hopes for an improvement in strained relations with Beijing. But it is also uncomfortable politically, as Biden is often criticized by the opposition for not being tough enough on China and Cuba’s communist regime.
The already strained relationship between China and the U.S. worsened earlier this year when a Chinese spy balloon surfaced over American territory. The Americans shot the balloon out of the sky, but China insists there was no need to do so, claiming it was a weather balloon that had gone off course.
About the author: Rick Culpepper
Rick Culpepper is of those journalists who dig the topic to the very bottom. He is often late with the delivery of the piece, but always does it perfectly. In his spare time, he collects data for one of the most high-profile investigations of corruption in the EU.
