China demanded this Thursday that the United States immediately cease any military threats against Cuba, in response to the reports about the assessment of possible scenarios for armed intervention in the island by the Pentagon.
Beijing's response comes a day after CBS News revealed that senior U.S. military officials have been studying various operational options against Cuba in recent weeks, including a potential aerial assault led by the 101st Airborne Division, based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
During his regular press conference, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Lin Jian, condemned any use of force in international relations.
"The use or threat of force in international relations seriously violates the UN Charter and endangers global and regional peace and security. China firmly opposes this," he stated.
The official also reiterated Beijing's support for the Cuban regime and assured that China will continue to support Havana "in the safeguarding of its national sovereignty and in opposition to external interference."
As part of his argument, Lin cited the vote held on July 7 in the UN General Assembly, where 136 countries supported the opening of an urgent debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba, compared to only nine votes against. According to the spokesperson, this result reflects the "broad international support" for the island.
The Pentagon declines to comment
In an interview with CBS News regarding the content of the information, the acting spokesperson for the Pentagon, Joel Valdez, refrained from commenting and replied only: "We do not comment on hypothetical military operations."
However, U.S. officials cited by the network noted that immediate military action is considered unlikely, in part because a large portion of the United States' offensive capabilities remain concentrated in the Middle East following the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran.
China's statements come amid a marked deterioration in relations between Washington and Havana during 2026.
On June 10, the Secretary of War of the United States, Pete Hegseth, visited the Guantanamo Naval Base and warned that it would be "reckless" for the Cuban regime to attempt to acquire weaponry capable of threatening that installation or U.S. territory. As an example of the consequences of challenging Washington, he mentioned the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In May, the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, made an unusual visit to Havana to convey that the United States would expand bilateral cooperation if Cuba undertook "fundamental changes." Shortly thereafter, the Department of Justice filed federal criminal charges against Raúl Castro for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue aircraft in 1996.
Most recently, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the 11J protests, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged the Cuban leadership to opt for "real reforms, peace, and prosperity, before it is too late," although he stated that the regime continues to reject any transformation and maintains a system based on a "morally corrupt Marxist ideology."
Cuba, a point of friction between Washington and Beijing
The strategic background adds an international dimension to the crisis. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and information discussed in U.S. Congressional hearings in 2025, China operates four signals intelligence facilities in Cuba, located in Bejucal, Wajay, Calabazar, and El Salao.
For its part, the United States has increased its military presence in the Caribbean through Operation Southern Spear, with over 1,300 marines deployed and surveillance flights near the Cuban coasts. Meanwhile, a report from Axios published in May stated that Cuba has reportedly acquired more than 300 military drones of Russian and Iranian manufacture since 2023.
Beijing's response marks a new chapter in the growing rivalry between the United States and China, with Cuba once again at the center of the geopolitical tensions between the two powers.
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