Blinken: Our Diplomacy Has "Slowed Down" Chinese Intelligence Efforts

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking at a press conference alongside Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, has appeared to confirm previously denied reports that China may be developing a surveillance base in Cuba.

• Blinken: "With regard to Cuba, when this administration took office in January 2021, we were briefed on a number of sensitive efforts by Beijing... to expand their overseas logistics, basing, collection infrastructure to allow them to project and sustain military power at a greater distance."
• Blinken: "They were considering a number of sites around the world for that expansions, including intelligence collection facilities in Cuba... It was our assessment that, despite awareness of the basing efforts, and some attempts to address the challenge of the past administration, we weren't making enough progress on this issue...."
• According to Blinken, President Biden instructed his team to execute a new approach "quietly and carefully" ever since, which Blinken says has delivered results. "The strategy begins with diplomacy," including exchanging information with countries that may host PRC bases.
• Blinken says "our experts assess that our diplomatic efforts have slowed down this effort by the PRC, and it is something we are very carefully monitoring and taking steps to counter."