U.S. confirms China has had spy base in Cuba since 2019

>>> ADMINISTRATION HAS CONFIRMED THAT CHINA HAS BEEN OPERATING A SPY BASE IN CUBA SINCE AT LEAST 2019. IT'S LOCATED ABOUT 100 MILES FROM FLORIDA. THIS COMES AFTER THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED THAT CHINA TENTATIVELY AGREED TO PAY CUBA BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SET UP AN ELECTRONIC EVES DROPPING FACILITY. MEAN WHILE, SECRETARY OF STATE ANTHONY BLINKEN IS EXPECTED TO TRAVEL TO CUBA. THE WHITE HOUSE INITIALLY DENY DENIED YOUR REPORT THEN SAID, OH CHINA HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEAR. WHY THE CHANGE IN THE RESPONSE? >> HONESTLY, WE WISH WE KNEW. WE LEARNED EARLY ON THAT THERE WAS, WE HAD REPORTING ABOUT THIS EVES DROPPING FACILITY IN KAOUL CUBA. WE WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND PROVIDED THEM INFORMATION. WE DIDN'T GET ANY PUSH BACK. AND THEN A FEW DAYS LATER SAID IT WAS INACCURATE. ONLY TO LATER ADMIT THAT IT WILL EVENING DROPPING FACILITY WAS THERE. >> WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS BASE? >> THE CHINESE AND CUBANS RECENTLY MADE A DEAL TO ESTABLISH THE BASE. EXACTLY IT'S LOCATION OR KIND OF WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS. BUT IF YOU AND YOU VIEWERS PROBABLY WELL KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NOT ONLY COMMERCIAL BUT MILITARY ACTIVITY, U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THAT REGION. SEVERAL HEADQUARTERS OF DIFFERENT MILITARY HEADQUARTERS ARE IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA. AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASON TO THINK THAT THE CHINESE WILL BE INTERESTED IN THAT ACTIVITY. >> THAT'S WHY SUCH A BASE WOULD BE BENEFIT RATHER THAN SATELLITE AND ELECTRONIC MONITORING. >> THE CLOSER THE BETTER IN THAT CASE. BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT FOR THE CHINESE, HAVING A PRESENCE 100 MILES OFF THE U.S. COAST IS NOT OFF IN THEIR MIND THE INSTALLATIONS WE HAVE IN TAIWAN. YOU CAN IMAGINE, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T KNOW THIS, THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF KIND OF A NEGOTIATING TOOL THAT THE CHINESE COULD USE TO PERSUADE THE U.S. TO KIND OF BACK OFF FROM TAIWAN. >> SURE, WE'LL LEAVE CUBA IF YOU DRAWL DRAW DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN TAIWAN. OFFICIALS HAVE SAID BEIJING IS MAKING A LOT OF EFFORTS TO EXPAND ITS INTELLIGENCE GATHERING. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT AND HOW BIG HAS IT GOTTEN? >> OBVIOUSLY, BIG COUNTRY AND SMALL COUNTRIES SPY ON EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME. I THINK THE U.S. HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY CONCERNED IN RECENT YEARS AS THIS GLOBAL COMPETITION WITH CHINA HEATS UP TO TRACK WHERE CHINA IS MAKING END ROADS. WE HAVE A SERIES OF STORIES ABOUT BASE IN THE UAE THAT THE CHINESE WANTED TO BUILD. AND THE U.S. EMBARKED ON A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN NOT TO ALLOW THE TO GO THERE. IT WAS NEAR A LOT OF SENSITIVE FACILITIES. AND THERE'S WHERE CHINA IS TRYING TO MAKE AN END ROADS. CUBA IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT CHINESE COLLECTION FACILITIES. AND THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE REGION WHO SAY

Channel: CBS News

Views: 17,901

Keywords: cbs news, news, live news, livestream, breaking news

Id: VZ1WmgzwzCA

Length: 4min 31sec (271 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 12 2023