The Homeland Security Committee of the House of Representatives conducted a hearing on Tuesday, looking into reports that China is constructing four advanced signal intelligence (SIGINT) facilities in Cuba, aimed at spying on Americans.
Sources, including the Wall Street Journal, report that China has plans to establish a listening post in Cuba—allegedly funded with “billions” from Beijing. This site would be located about 100 miles from the Florida coast, enabling China to intercept emails, phone calls, and satellite signals in the southeastern U.S., possibly even military communications.
Additional reports have indicated that the U.S. Director of Intelligence anonymously revealed that China’s espionage activities in Cuba have existed for over 30 years.
Beyond its surveillance function, this listening post also serves as a symbolic act, challenging American influence. For years, China has expressed grievances about U.S. intelligence operations near its borders and seems eager to establish similar outposts on American doorsteps.
A few days post-report, John Kirby from the National Security Council acknowledged that the U.S. was aware of China’s spy bases but remarked it was “absolutely not beneficial” to disclose this information while intelligence was being gathered. He argued that his statements shouldn’t be interpreted as a retraction of previous claims from the Biden administration, labeling the report as “inaccurate” without clarifying how, and criticized the media for spreading “embarrassing” details.
Even with the administration’s assertions, the story about the listening post hasn’t lost traction. Recently, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published findings indicating “new construction is underway” at the SIGINT facility near Havana.
One site near Bejcal, formerly an older Cuban facility, seems to have received substantial upgrades including a new Circular Discarded Antenna Array (CDAA)—a sophisticated technology for monitoring radio signals over vast distances. Notably, China often builds such facilities on militarized coral reefs in the South China Sea.
Rumors about Bejcal’s role in China’s intelligence operations have circulated since the Cold War. U.S. congressional testimonies and unclassified documents hint at its ties to China, corroborated by various media reports.
Representative Carlos Guimenez, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee on Transport and Maritime Safety, described the alleged collaboration with Cuba as “one of the most brazen intelligence operations ever attempted” close to the U.S. mainland, putting military and commercial interests directly at risk from hostile foreign forces during the Tuesday hearing.
He pointed out the southeastern U.S. hosts crucial security infrastructure, including the Space Launch Center at Cape Canaveral and the headquarters of U.S. Southern Command in Miami, underscoring the region’s importance to national defense.
Guimenez also emphasized that the Cuban government is a recognized sponsor of terrorism and continues to harbor fugitives from U.S. justice.
According to CSIS, Cuba possesses a wealth of Soviet-era SIGINT equipment post-Cold War, which has provided China with an opportunity to upgrade such surveillance capabilities.
Analysts noted that, in the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse, China quickly took advantage of the situation, while Cuba’s regime sought to enhance its electronic warfare strategies, obstructing transmissions from the U.S. with Chinese assistance.
Interestingly, the facilities identified in the CSIS report indicate that the CDAA is not merely a remnant from the Cold War but a new installation entirely.
China’s financial backing is seen as a vital support for Cuba, while for China, close proximity to the U.S. offers access to critical military and commercial intelligence, promoting this strategic partnership.
Berg pointed out that public scrutiny might deter China’s ambitions, noting that attention from CSIS appears to have halted renovation efforts at one Cuban site. He suggested increasing satellite surveillance and categorizing intelligence for better operational choices.
The House Homeland Security Committee, along with the House Select Committee on the Communist Party of China, sent a letter on Tuesday urging Homeland Security Secretary Christie Norm to carry out a formal threat assessment regarding China’s SIGINT activities in Cuba.
“If unaddressed, Chinese activities in Cuba could significantly affect operations, create a framework for electronic warfare, facilitate intelligence gathering, and undermine U.S. national security interests,” the letter cautioned.
