Washington: US intelligence agencies tracked employees of the Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE at suspected Chinese spy facilities in Cuba, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
During the presidency of Donald Trump, US officials received tracking data of Huawei and ZTE workers entering and leaving sites suspected of conducting Chinese eavesdropping operations from the island, according to the report.
The sources said the intelligence reports strengthened suspicions within the Trump administration that the tech giants can be instrumental in expanding Chinas ability to spy on the United States from Cuba. However, it is unknown whether such practice is continued under incumbent US President Joe Biden.
Huawei and ZTE do not necessarily produce devices that can be used for eavesdropping or gathering intelligence, but they both specialize in technologies that can facilitate data transmission to China, according to the sources.
Huawei rejected such accusations in a statement, while ZTE and the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to a WSJs request for comment, the news outlet noted.
Earlier in June, WSJ reported, citing US officials familiar with classified information, that China had reached a deal with Cuba to establish its spy base in the island nation as a response to US military activities near the Chinese borders, including in Taiwan.
Commenting on the article, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the report is not accurate. Cubas Embassy in Washington said the article was totally mendacious and unfounded information, while the Chinese diplomatic mission had no comment.
(With UNI inputs)
