Pentagon: Media Reports on China Spy Station in Cuba Are 'Not Accurate'

[Judi Lynn]

3. WSJ says China to build spy base in Cuba, but US and Cuba cast doubt on report

PUBLISHED ON
JUNE 09, 2023 1:11 AM

WASHINGTON/HAVANA - China has reached a secret deal with Cuba to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island roughly 100 miles (160 km) from Florida, the Wall Street Journal said on Thursday (June 8), but the US and Cuban governments cast strong doubt on the report.

Such a spy installation would allow Beijing to gather electronic communications from the southeastern US, which houses many US military bases, as well as monitor ship traffic, the newspaper reported, citing US officials familiar with classified intelligence.

The command headquarters is based in Tampa. Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, the largest US military base, is in North Carolina.

The countries have reached an agreement in principle, the officials said, with China to pay Cuba "several billion dollars" to allow the eavesdropping station, according to the Journal.

“We have seen the report. It's not accurate," John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, told Reuters. But he did not specify what he thought was incorrect.

More:
https://www.asiaone.com/world/wsj-says-china-build-spy-base-cuba-us-and-cuba-cast-doubt-report

Source: Reuters