China and Cuba have reached a secret agreement to establish an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials familiar with top-secret intelligence information..

The facility, located about 100 miles from Florida, will allow Chinese intelligence agencies to intercept emails in the southeastern United States, where there are many military bases, and monitor the movement of American ships..

China agreed to pay cash-strapped Cuba several billion dollars to build a listening station - the two countries reached an agreement in principle.

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Information about such plans has caused alarm in the administration of US President Joe Biden due to the proximity of Cuba to the US mainland.. Washington views Beijing as its most significant economic and military rival. Chinese base with advanced military and intelligence capabilities in the backyard of the United States could become an unprecedented new threat.

U.S. officials cite evidence that appears to have been gathered in recent weeks about a planned base in Cuba as compelling. They said the base would allow China to conduct signal intelligence, known in the espionage world as sigint, which could include monitoring a range of communications, including email, phone calls and satellite transmissions..

Relations between the US and China have strained significantly after a Chinese balloon was shot down over the US - possibly with spy equipment. Despite this, US President Joe Biden said in May that he expects a "