White House, Cuba reject report of China building spy base on the island

The White House and Cuba independentlyrejected a media report that said that China was planning to build a spy base on the island nation just 90 miles away from the continental USA. The initial report, published byThe Wall Street Journal (WSJ), said that China and Cuba had entered into a secret agreement that would let Beijing set up an electronic eavesdropping facility in Cuba. This, said the report, would enable China to monitor communications across the southeastern United States. The WSJ report further said that China had paid "several billion dollars" to Cuba for this.

However, White House national security spokesman John Kirby has denied the story.

"I've seen that press report. It's not accurate," Kirby told MSNBC.

"What I can tell you is that we have been concerned since day one of this administration about China's influence activities around the world, certainly in this hemisphere and in this region," Kirby said.

"We are watching this very closely," he added.

Watch | China paying billions of dollars to Cuba for electronic spy facility: Report | World News | WION

Additionally, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder also called the Journal report inaccurate.

"We are not aware of China and Cuba developing any type of spy station," Ryder said, adding: "The relationship that those two countries share is something that we continuously monitor."

Cuba also denies report

Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio addressed a press conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Havana and denied that there were any plans underway for building a Chinese spy base on its territory.

He said Cuba rejects all foreign military presence in Latin America, "including the many US bases and troops."

"Slander of this kind is often fabricated by US officials," he added.

US lawmakers raise alarm

The WSJ report, however, has led several US lawmakers to raise alarm.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner and Republican Marco Rubio, who head the Senate Intelligence Committee said that they were "deeply disturbed" by the WSJ report.

"The United States must respond to China's ongoing and brazen attacks on our nation's security," they said.

"We must be clear that it would be unacceptable for China to establish an intelligence facility within 100 miles (160 kilometres) of Florida and the United States."

Also Read | US Senate panel passes legislation to strip China of 'developing' status

Strained relations

The report in the Wall Street Journal has come amid strains in relations between the US and China. There has been friction between the countries over a number of issues, including Taiwan. China considers Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out use of force to someday capture the island. The US is among the biggest backers of Taiwan and carries out navigation exercises in Taiwan Strait.

(With inputs from agencies)

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