Lawmakers urge classified briefing on Chinese spy base in Cuba.

Lawmakers Call for Classified Briefing on Chinese Spy Facility in Cuba

Two top lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to provide a classified briefing on the secret Chinese spy facility in Cuba. They are raising concerns about the national security implications of the “growing intelligence” being gathered by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) near American shores.

In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA Director William Burns, Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee respectively, express alarm over the reported military and intelligence partnership between Cuba and China.

They emphasize that both Congress and the American public deserve clarity on the national security implications of this provocation by our adversaries, as well as the concrete steps the Administration plans to take in response.

The existence of the Chinese espionage facility in Cuba has been confirmed by the White House since 2019. The lawmakers highlight that this base, located just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, enables Beijing to monitor and intercept communications in the southeastern United States. This poses a potential threat to military bases, U.S. maritime traffic in the Caribbean, and sensitive communication data. There are also reports suggesting that certain Chinese telecom companies, already on the U.S. blacklist, may be facilitating these operations. Furthermore, negotiations are underway to establish a joint military training site in Cuba between the two regimes.

“It comes as no surprise to us that the Cuban regime—which has historically opened its doors to foreign adversaries of the United States—and the PRC [People’s Republic of China] are working together to undermine U.S. national security,” Menendez and McCaul wrote. “However, the establishment of intelligence facilities and expansion of military ties this close to U.S. territory is a serious concern.”