China Is Rapidly Expanding Its Surveillance Capabilities In America’s Backyard, Report Finds

China’s surveillance efforts off the coast of America’s shores are expanding, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Monday.

China has been closely collaborating with Cuba — located just about 200 miles off the coast of Florida — to expand its military and intelligence presence on the island since at least 2019. Satellite imagery reviewed by CSIS appears to show that Cuba is building on its existing infrastructure in the region and now has multiple signal intelligence (SIGINT) facilities on the island, furthering concerns that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is attempting surveillance efforts inside the U.S., according to The Wall Street Journal.

“These are active locations with an evolving mission set,” Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow at CSIS and the report’s chief author, told the WSJ.

The satellite imagery reviewed by CSIS depicts four upgraded and expanded military and intelligence installations in locations across Cuba. Some of these sites were identified in previous reporting, but the report outlines further expansion efforts and likely ties to the CCP.

The most recent site still under construction and whose existence was not previously reported is in Eastern Cuba, appearing to be built for a complex and advanced antenna network used to pick up electronic signals, according to CSIS.