China demanded on Thursday that the United States immediately cease any military threats against Cuba, in response to the reports regarding the evaluation of possible armed intervention scenarios on the island by the Pentagon.
Beijing's reaction comes a day after CBS News revealed that high-ranking U.S. military officials have been exploring various operational options against Cuba in recent weeks, including a potential air assault led by the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
During his regular press conference, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 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 asserted that China will continue to support Havana "in safeguarding its national sovereignty and opposing external interference."
As part of his argument, Lin cited the voting that took place on July 7 in the UN General Assembly, where 136 countries backed the call for an urgent debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba, compared to only nine votes opposing it. According to the spokesperson, this result reflects the "broad international support" for the island.
The Pentagon refrains from commenting
When asked by CBS News about the content of the information, Acting Pentagon spokesperson Joel Valdez refrained from commenting and simply said, "We do not comment on hypothetical military operations."
However, U.S. officials quoted by the network indicated that immediate military action is considered unlikely, partly because much 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 10th, U.S. Secretary of War, 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 facility or U.S. territory. As an example of the consequences of challenging Washington, he mentioned the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In May, the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, made an unusual visit to Havana to convey that the United States would expand bilateral cooperation if Cuba undertook "fundamental changes." Soon after, the Department of Justice filed federal criminal charges against Raúl Castro for the shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996.
More 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 hearings of the U.S. Congress in 2025, China operates four signal 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 2026 stated that Cuba has reportedly acquired more than 300 military drones of Russian and Iranian manufacture since 2023.
Beijing's response thus marks a new episode in the growing rivalry between the United States and China, with Cuba once again at the heart of the geopolitical tensions between the two powers.
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