Photo: Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez – X/Twitter.
Senior Chinese and Cuban military officials held a meeting in Havana just days after the publication of a report warning about the modernization of four Chinese espionage bases on the island. General He Weidong, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, met on December 11 with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and General Raúl Castro, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense via China Military Online.
Although official Cuban media omitted details regarding the meeting with Castro, the Chinese publication confirmed his participation, as well as that of General Álvaro López Miera, Cuba’s Minister of the Armed Forces, and Hua Xin, the Chinese ambassador in Havana. General He was accompanied by a delegation of at least eight Chinese military officers.
During the meeting, Díaz-Canel emphasized that the encounter strengthens bilateral relations in defense and military cooperation. Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Defense underscored that both nations will firmly support each other on matters of strategic interest, expand their collaboration in military training and communication, and elevate their ties to a “new level.”
In contrast, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated that they are closely monitoring China’s military presence in Cuba. The official acknowledged that U.S. diplomacy has limited China’s efforts to project its military power globally but warned that China will continue to strengthen its presence on the island.
A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified improvements in four Chinese espionage bases located in Bejucal, El Wajay, Calabazar, and El Salao (Santiago de Cuba). These facilities, dedicated to signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection against the United States, have undergone modernization in recent years as Cuba faces an economic crisis that has deepened its reliance on China.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning categorically rejected the accusations, calling them “pure invention.” She added that cooperation between China and Cuba is “open and transparent” and not aimed at any third party, condemning any attempts at slander or malicious defamation.
Main Source:
Contacto militar de alto nivel entre China y Cuba tras alarmante informe de centros de espionaje contra EEUU – Martí Noticias
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