In 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. tracked Huawei and ZTE workers at alleged Chinese spy sites in Cuba. According to the report, American officials examined intelligence revealing employees of these telecom companies entering and leaving Cuban facilities suspected of hosting Chinese eavesdropping activities.
The report stopped short of confirming spying but deemed the intelligence “credible.” It highlighted the U.S. government’s longstanding worry about Chinese spy sites in Cuba.
The report’s findings arrived during a U.S.-China trade war. It followed the ban on Huawei by the Trump administration.
The report’s findings, although unconfirmed independently, raise concerns about Chinese telecom equipment security. The U.S. government has argued for years that Chinese telecom equipment may enable spying. The report appears to provide evidence supporting this argument.
The report has raised questions about Huawei’s relationship with the Chinese government. Huawei denies being state-owned, but the findings imply closer ties than admitted.
The report’s findings have had a chilling effect on Chinese telecom equipment in the US. US telecom companies are reviewing their use of Chinese equipment due to the report.
The report’s findings are still being investigated, but they have already had a significant impact on the U.S.-China relationship and the security of Chinese telecom equipment
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