The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has published a report highlighting China’s growing intelligence presence in Cuba, located less than 100 miles from the southern tip of Florida. This development underscores the intensifying global competition between the United States and China. Leveraging satellite imagery and open-source intelligence, CSIS identified four primary facilities in Cuba suspected of supporting Beijing’s signals intelligence (SIGINT) operations. These sites, enhanced with sophisticated surveillance equipment, reveal China’s strategic use of Cuba to gather critical intelligence on the United States and its allies in the region.
“Cuba’s proximity to the southern United States and the Caribbean makes it a prime location for collecting signals intelligence (SIGINT) on the region,” the CSIS report states, emphasizing the strategic importance of the island nation. This revelation highlights not only China’s ambition to establish a stronger intelligence footprint but also its ability to leverage Cuba’s current economic hardships to its advantage.
Strategic Importance of Cuba
Cuba’s geographical location places it in a prime position to monitor U.S. military and civilian activities. The southeastern United States is home to significant military installations, including combatant command headquarters, space launch centers, and naval bases. Additionally, the U.S. maintains a presence in the region through its naval base at Guantánamo Bay. From this vantage point, China could intercept sensitive military communications, monitor space launches, and gather intelligence on naval activities.
The CSIS report explains the value of Cuba’s location: “Sitting less than 100 miles south of Florida, Cuba is well-positioned to keep watch on sensitive communications and activities, including those of the U.S. military.” This close proximity allows China to conduct SIGINT operations that would be impossible from its own territory.
The Identified Facilities
CSIS identified four key sites suspected of being involved in China’s intelligence operations in Cuba: Bejucal, El Salao, Wajay, and Calabazar. Each facility plays a unique role in Beijing’s efforts to monitor U.S. activities.
Bejucal: A Legacy of Espionage
The Bejucal site, situated near Havana, has long been associated with intelligence activities. During the Cold War, it was a focal point for Soviet surveillance operations. Today, it is the largest active SIGINT site reviewed by CSIS. The report highlights its sophisticated capabilities: “Satellite imagery from March 2024 indicates that the facility is active and has been for some time.”
Bejucal hosts various antennas, including dish antennas used to intercept satellite communications. These instruments enable the site to collect data on U.S. rocket launches from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. According to CSIS, “Bejucal offers a prime vantage point to collect valuable data on these launches.” The facility’s ability to monitor advanced U.S. technologies, like SpaceX’s reusable rocket systems, makes it a critical asset for China’s intelligence ambitions.
El Salao: A New Addition
In eastern Cuba, near Santiago de Cuba, the El Salao site has emerged as a significant intelligence hub. This facility, under construction since 2021, features a large circularly disposed antenna array (CDAA) capable of detecting signals from up to 8,000 nautical miles away. CSIS notes, “Once operational, the facility could be capable of monitoring the U.S. Navy and its international partners operating in the Caribbean.”
El Salao’s connection to China is underscored by its proximity to the Moncada Cement Plant, a project funded by Chinese investments. The report suggests that this collaboration indicates a strategic partnership between Cuba and China in developing SIGINT capabilities.
Wajay: Expanding Capabilities
Located just north of Bejucal, the Wajay site has expanded significantly over the past two decades. Initially housing a single antenna, it now boasts a dozen antennas of various sizes, as well as operational and support facilities. CSIS highlights its strategic evolution: “The site hosts 12 antennas of various sizes and orientations, significant operations and support facilities, and even a small solar farm.”
While its purpose is less prominent than Bejucal or El Salao, Wajay’s capabilities suggest an evolving and sophisticated SIGINT mission set, particularly focused on terrestrial signal interception.
Calabazar: Monitoring Space
The Calabazar facility, also near Havana, has seen notable upgrades in recent years. Its equipment includes satellite-tracking antennas oriented southward, likely aimed at intercepting geostationary satellite transmissions. Although not definitively linked to China, CSIS cites Cuban defectors who situate this site within the island’s broader intelligence efforts. The report observes that “the growth of space-monitoring equipment at Calabazar is notable given that Cuba lacks its own satellites and space program.”
SIGINT: A Critical Espionage Tool
Signals intelligence is a cornerstone of modern espionage, allowing nations to intercept electronic communications and analyze radar signals. Despite advancements in encryption technologies, SIGINT remains invaluable for gathering tactical and strategic information. “Intercepting signals transmitted by both civilian and military actors can provide countries with valuable information about their adversaries, competitors, and allies alike,” the CSIS report explains.
China’s deployment of advanced SIGINT equipment in Cuba aligns with its broader intelligence strategy. By expanding its operations beyond its borders, Beijing reinforces its position as a global intelligence power and gains critical insights into U.S. military and aerospace activities.
Cuba’s Economic Crisis: An Opening for China
Cuba’s severe economic crisis has created an opportunity for China to deepen its influence on the island. The country’s ongoing struggles with inflation, energy shortages, and mass emigration have made it increasingly reliant on Beijing for financial and technological support. China’s investments in infrastructure, such as the Port of Santiago de Cuba and solar energy projects, have strengthened bilateral ties.
The CSIS report highlights the strategic nature of this partnership: “China’s growing economic and political leverage in Cuba may be opening doors for its military and intelligence services there.” By positioning itself as an indispensable ally, China has secured a foothold in a region of significant strategic importance.
Implications for U.S. Security
China’s growing intelligence presence in Cuba presents a direct challenge to U.S. national security. The proximity of these facilities allows Beijing to monitor U.S. communications and activities with unprecedented precision. Moreover, the potential for intelligence-sharing between China and Cuba raises the stakes further. Havana’s history of cultivating human intelligence (HUMINT) networks targeting the United States suggests that this collaboration could extend beyond SIGINT.
The report warns, “Even limited access to this equipment would provide China a far greater ability to monitor and communicate with its own space assets passing over the other side of the globe.” This capability enhances Beijing’s ability to track U.S. satellites and gather critical intelligence.
ACZ Editor: This is substantial, but given China’s other capabilities and its ability to work within the U.S., the value of day to day SIGINT operations is limited. However, it would be key as a strategic asset to monitor U.S. military movements in a time of war to monitor military manuevers.
But we believe the goal is to establish an offensive military presence, i.e. asset that can be deployed against the U.S. Even a modest airfield provided to China could pose a threat to the U.S. allowing acces to the Eastern seaboard by nuclear assets.
While China cannot possibly believe we would allow this to persist, it gives China cover on Taiwan and it makes it nearly impossible for U.S. relations with Cuba to improve. However, Cuba is no longer propped up by Russia and their socialist driven economy is suffering badly and overtures from China have been apparently successful.