Chinese embassy dismisses US allegations of bases in Cuba as slander
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Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu stressed the need for the US to halt its ongoing effort of making malicious accusations against China without delay.
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A man holds Chinese flag to mark the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in Hong Kong, Monday, July 1, 2024 (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)
In response to ongoing allegations by the US regarding Chinese military bases in Cuba, the Chinese Embassy in Washington vehemently refuted these claims, labeling them as slanderous and malicious.
The remarks come after US think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published a report using satellite imagery to identify four alleged Chinese listening stations in Cuba, including one located near Guantanamo Bay.
"The US side has repeatedly hyped up China's establishment of spy bases or conducting surveillance activities in Cuba. Such claims are nothing but slander. The Cuban side has already made a clarification," Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Sputnik on Tuesday.
Liu stressed the need for the US to halt its ongoing effort to make malicious accusations against China without delay.
Additionally, Liu highlighted that the US maintains a leading role in global surveillance operations, which encompass monitoring its allies as well.
Read more: China bases in Cuba most serious threat to US, Trumps says
During a press conference on Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder chose not to address the specifics of the CSIS report when questioned.
However, he acknowledged the US expectation that China would persist in enhancing its purported presence in Cuba.
Ryder noted that Washington is steadfast in its commitment to taking actions aimed at disrupting such endeavors.
Guantanamo torture
The US' military prison in Cuba -- created after the September 2001 attacks to house detainees in the US so-called "war on terror"-- is still operating despite international and local calls to close it.
A group of UN experts has repeatedly urged Washington to finally close the site of "unrelenting human rights violations."
The US justified its torture of inmates by claiming that its campaign was targeted at finding "terrorists" responsible for the 9/11 attacks in order to prevent further attacks on US soil.
However, civil society groups have stated that many of Washington's actions, including rendition and "enhanced interrogation techniques," are unlawful under international law.
