Forum

China Increases Presence in Cuba

Just 90 miles from the U.S. mainland. Leland Lazurus—before a Congressional panel this week: The Chinese Communist Party is executing a 21st Century playbook of espionage,  port infrastructure, space surveillance and digital authoritarianism (Fox News). CSIS: Recent commercial satellite imagery shows new construction underway at a known Cuban signals intelligence (SIGINT) site near Havana, long rumored to have ties to China. The addition of what appears to be a circularly disposed antenna array (CDAA) at Bejucal would expand the site’s capabilities to spy on the United States and other countries in the region. Satellite imagery of another key Cuban site shows a halt in construction, raising new questions about the scope and direction of Cuba’s SIGINT efforts—and their possible connection to China (CSIS).