China planning new military training facility in Cuba: Report

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - China and Cuba are currently engaged in negotiations to establish a joint military training facility on the island, according to a report Tuesday.

The development has reportedly raised concerns in Washington, as there are worries over the potential deployment of Chinese troops in the region.

Citing current and former US officials, The Wall Street Journal said the Biden administration has initiated contact with Cuban officials in an attempt to prevent the plans from going forward.

The report also said that discussions regarding the establishment of the facility on Cuba's northern coast have reached an advanced stage, but they have not yet been finalized.

The Journal reported earlier this month that Cuba agreed to host a Chinese listening post in exchange for billions of dollars. The report was quickly denied in both Havana and Beijing as well as in Washington, where the Biden administration called it inaccurate.

Last week, however, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China upgraded its intelligence collection facilities in Cuba in 2019.

The top US diplomat was also asked during a press conference in London for his take on the Journal's Tuesday report on the joint military training center.

"This is something we’re going to be monitoring very, very closely, and we’ve been very clear about that. And we will protect our homeland, we will protect our interests," said Blinken.

Blinken was in China on Sunday and Monday, where he met with President Xi Jinping and other senior officials.