‘Brazen’ suspected China surveillance sites in Cuba trigger US House hearing

Lawmakers warn that Beijing may be expanding intelligence footprint near American soil and urge Trump administration to take firmer stance

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The town of Bejucal in northwestern Cuba is the site of a suspected intelligence operation targeting the US. Photo: Centre for Strategic and International Studies

Published: 3:35am, 7 May 2025Updated: 5:43am, 7 May 2025

A new report detailing suspected Chinese surveillance sites in Cuba has triggered a congressional hearing in Washington, with lawmakers warning that Beijing may be expanding its intelligence footprint near US territory and urging the Donald Trump administration to take a firmer stance.

Convened by the House Homeland Security subcommittee on transportation and maritime security on Tuesday, the hearing focused on recent findings from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US think tank.

CSIS researchers used commercial satellite imagery to identify what they called four suspected signals intelligence facilities in Cuba, including one near the town of Bejucal that appears to have undergone significant upgrades in recent months.

That site, known for surveillance activity dating back to the Cold War, has seen the removal of older antennas and the construction of a circularly disposed antenna array or CDAA.

The system is capable of locating long-distance radio signals and could bolster Cuba’s ability to monitor military and commercial activity across the southeastern US.

The facility at Bejucal appears to have undergone significant upgrades in recent months, including new antennas. Photo: Centre for Strategic and International Studies

“This collaboration represents one of the most brazen intelligence operations ever attempted near the American mainland,” said US congressman Carlos Gimenez, a Florida Republican who chairs the subcommittee.