China, Cuba mull Joint Military Facility near US shores, raising alarms bells in America

China and Cuba have entered discussions regarding the establishment of a joint military training facility located a mere 100 miles from the American mainland, raising alarm bells in Washington DC. While the extent and progress of the talks remain unclear, the revelations, reported first by Wall Street Journal, have prompted senior US officials to engage in discussions with their Chinese and Cuban counterparts, as they closely monitor the situation.

According to a senior US official, the ongoing discussions between Beijing and Havana primarily focus on delineating the nature of the training that would be conducted at the proposed facility and determining its leadership structure. The Biden administration has reportedly conveyed its concerns about these talks, given the potential security implications. 

Senior official says US will attempt to disrupt China's activities in the region

When Politico approached a US administration official for a comment, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the classified nature of the issue, the official refrained from confirming the specifics or offering a detailed response. However, the official did express continued apprehension about China's activities in Cuba and its relentless pursuit to expand its presence on the island. The United States remains committed to actively disrupting any activities that could compromise its interests, claimed the official.

Revelation comes on the heels of Blinken's visit to Beijing

This latest development comes in the wake of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent trip to China, during which he held discussions with Xi Jinping. While both parties characterised the talks as fruitful, they failed to reach concrete agreements. Notably, China refused the U.S.'s request to restore military-to-military communications.

During a joint press conference with Britain's foreign secretary in London, Blinken addressed the reported talks concerning the Cuba training base, underscoring the United States' deep-seated apprehensions. He emphasised the necessity of maintaining open lines of communication between the military forces of both countries, particularly in light of recent incidents in the air and at sea that underscored the imperative of robust engagement.

Here is what else you need to know

Just 10 days ago, the Biden administration acknowledged the existence of a Chinese spy base in Cuba dating back to at least 2019. This admission followed initial dismissals and assertions of inaccuracy by administration officials. Former Defence Secretary Mark Esper, in a recent interview on CNN, acknowledged the potential for such actions by China, suggesting that he "would not be surprised" by their activities. Notably, the previous administration claimed it was unaware of intelligence regarding the spy base during its tenure.

The recent revelation has highlighted the fact that China not only has a spy base in Cuba, but is planning to set up a military training facility. During the Cold War, US and USSR came on the brink of a kinetic conflict due to Moscow's decision to set up missile launch sites in Cuba, in response to US' missile deployments in Turkey.

Analysts are concerned that the Biden administration isn't doing enough

Some analysts were presenting Blinken's visit to Beijing as the begining of a thaw. It appears that a thaw isn't in sight. Elbridge Colby, a former senior Pentagon official, who the Indian PM met today in New York, commenting on this recent development wrote "Is this part of the thaw?"

It was an exceptional personal honor to be able to speak with Prime Minister @narendramodi here in New York. https://t.co/RV4SmCgVlJ

— Elbridge Colby (@ElbridgeColby) June 21, 2023

Colby also criticised Biden's views on China directly. On June 20th, the American President, whilst speaking at a campaign reception in Kentfield, California said "don’t worry about China. I mean, worry about China, but don’t worry about China. (Laughter.) No, but I really mean it. China...has real economic difficulties." Colby responsed by writing "deeply worrying from @POTUS about China. We need to take China seriously, not be blase."

As the discussions between China and Cuba regarding a joint military training facility progress, concerns are mounting about potential implications for regional security and the expanding Chinese presence in proximity to the United States.