Reports have emerged that China is negotiating with the Cuban government to establish a military facility where Chinese troops would be stationed in Cuba, the closest country to the United States. If the negotiations are finalized, China's military facility would be located right next to the U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken recently confirmed that he raised concerns and warnings about this issue during his visit to China.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 20th (local time), citing current and former U.S. officials, that China may establish a joint military facility on the northern coast of Cuba, permanently station Chinese troops there, and conduct intelligence activities against the U.S. The distance between southern Florida and Cuba is only 160 km. Earlier, WSJ also reported that China had operated eavesdropping bases in Cuba targeting the U.S.
Currently, China and Cuba are advancing discussions regarding the establishment of the joint military facility, but no final decision has been made yet. The U.S. government is reportedly emphasizing the argument of 'sovereignty infringement on Cuba' to Cuban officials in an effort to prevent the conclusion of the negotiations.
U.S. officials are particularly concerned that this military facility could be part of China's '141 Project,' which aims to expand military bases worldwide. China has recently been expanding its influence in Cuba, which is adjacent to the U.S., as well as in the Caribbean and Latin American countries. WSJ reported, "Other 141 Project sites include a naval base in Cambodia and military facilities at a port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but there are none near the West yet."
This report draws even more attention as it comes right after Secretary Blinken's visit to China aimed at improving the deteriorated bilateral relations. During his two-day visit, Blinken met consecutively with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Communist Party Politburo member Wang Yi, and President Xi Jinping, reaching a consensus on the need to stabilize bilateral relations. Through this, they restored high-level U.S.-China dialogue, which had been virtually severed since the reconnaissance balloon incident earlier this year, and even created an atmosphere for a summit meeting. However, there have been repeated criticisms that aside from resuming dialogue for dialogue's sake, there has been little progress in improving relations. China did not respond to the U.S. proposal to restore military communication channels to avoid military conflict.
The U.S. government expressed that it is taking necessary measures to protect national security in response to the related reports. During talks in China, Secretary Blinken raised concerns about activities in Cuba with the Chinese side. After completing his China visit and arriving in the UK, Blinken stated at a press conference, "We will monitor this very, very closely, and we have made our position very clear on this as well," adding, "We will protect our territory and interests." In an interview with NBC, he also said, "We always express concerns when they (China) take physical locations where military bases could be established."
John Kirby, the National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, also responded to related questions during a briefing, stating, "It is neither a secret nor surprising that China has sought to expand its influence, reach, and intelligence-gathering capabilities in the Western Hemisphere, and such efforts include China's long-standing relationship with Cuba." He added, "It's not that we didn't know or weren't monitoring it. Frankly, it's not that we haven't taken action, and we will continue to take measures to protect our secrets and national security."
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