Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the Biden administration’s diplomatic efforts have hindered China’s attempts to extend its military influence globally. He made these remarks during a press conference ahead of his upcoming visit to Beijing. The comments came in response to a Wall Street Journal report alleging a new spying operation by China in Cuba.
Blinken acknowledged China’s broader agenda of expanding its presence overseas, including in Cuba, but did not provide specific details about the results achieved through US actions. He mentioned that experts have assessed the diplomatic efforts to have slowed down China’s activities, referring to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
China has denied using Cuba as a spying base, while Blinken noted that the Trump administration was aware of a Chinese upgrade of intelligence-collection facilities in Cuba back in 2019. However, he stated that the efforts made at that time were insufficient in addressing the issue.
Under President Biden’s instructions, the US has adopted a more direct approach, engaging with governments that may consider hosting Chinese bases and sharing information with them. Blinken emphasized that the strategy primarily relies on diplomacy and highlighted that progress has been made, although specific steps taken could not be disclosed.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the Biden administration’s diplomatic efforts have hindered China’s attempts to extend its military influence globally. He made these remarks during a press conference ahead of his upcoming visit to Beijing. The comments came in response to a Wall Street Journal report alleging a new spying operation by China in Cuba.
Blinken acknowledged China’s broader agenda of expanding its presence overseas, including in Cuba, but did not provide specific details about the results achieved through US actions. He mentioned that experts have assessed the diplomatic efforts to have slowed down China’s activities, referring to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
China has denied using Cuba as a spying base, while Blinken noted that the Trump administration was aware of a Chinese upgrade of intelligence-collection facilities in Cuba back in 2019. However, he stated that the efforts made at that time were insufficient in addressing the issue.
Under President Biden’s instructions, the US has adopted a more direct approach, engaging with governments that may consider hosting Chinese bases and sharing information with them. Blinken emphasized that the strategy primarily relies on diplomacy and highlighted that progress has been made, although specific steps taken could not be disclosed.