Washington DC [US], May 8 (ANI): China is suspected of operating electronic intelligence gathering sites in Cuba, with four bases allegedly focused on monitoring US military and communications activities, according to testimony presented before a House committee, as reported by The Washington Times.
Ryan C Berg, a Latin America security expert with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, revealing that three of the suspected Chinese intelligence bases are located near Havana on Cuba’s northern coast, with a fourth positioned near Santiago de Cuba on the island’s opposite side.
Berg stated that as many as 12 signals intelligence (SIGINT) sites have been identified across Cuba, allowing China to monitor approximately 20 key US military bases and installations in Florida. The locations of these sites provide China with unprecedented access to sensitive US activities, including military and government operations.
Subcommittee Chairman Carlos Gimenez, a Republican from Florida, referred to these Chinese intelligence operations as “one of the most brazen intelligence operations” near the US mainland. He stressed the heightened risk posed to both US military and commercial operations, as well as communications infrastructure.
Berg identified three primary Chinese spy bases near Havana: Bejucal, Wajay, and Calabazar. The Bejucal facility, which was previously used by Soviet intelligence, has recently undergone construction, with new antenna installations visible through satellite imagery shared during the hearing. These developments enhance the capabilities of these SIGINT sites, potentially giving China access to sensitive US military, commercial, and government activities.
US military installations vulnerable to these intelligence sites include Naval Air Station Pensacola, Tyndall Air Force Base, MacDill Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Key West, Kings Bay Submarine Base, Cape Canaveral, and US Southern Command.
Chinese intelligence operations in Cuba date back to the early 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. At that time, Moscow operated the Lourdes electronic spy base, which employed up to 1,500 technical personnel. Since then, China has continued to bolster its presence in Cuba, contributing $369 million in development financing, though this amount falls short of meeting Cuba’s financial needs.
The testimony has raised growing concerns over the extent of China’s intelligence operations and their proximity to the US mainland.
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