China and Cuba are negotiating a joint military training base in the Caribbean island nation, current and former officials told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
According to the sources, the American side is worried that it will lead to a permanent stationing of Chinese troops – only 160 kilometers off the coast of the state of Florida.
The officials claim that the discussions between Cuba and China are not finished but at an advanced stage. The Biden administration is said to have also contacted Cuban officials to try to prevent the deal.
Previous assignments: Spy base in Cuba
The revelation comes a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Before the trip, both the American and Chinese sides had expressed a desire for increased communication, after tensions between the countries have increased.
Less than two weeks ago, the WSJ wrote that China has entered into a secret agreement with Cuba to establish a new electronic interception base in the country. Two days later, the White House declassified a report confirming that Chinese intelligence-gathering facilities have been in Cuba since at least 2019.
However, the US still denies that there are plans to set up a Chinese listening post on the island.
A high-ranking spokesperson at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that he was not aware of any agreement between China and Cuba – and that the US is an expert in “chasing shadows”. The Cuban embassy in Washington called the previous disclosure “totally untrue and baseless.”
No comment from the White House
According to a statement from the US State Department, during his visit to China, Blinken raised concerns about Chinese intelligence activities in Cuba.
The White House declined to comment on the WSJ’s latest report on the negotiations for a joint military training base.