Republican Representative Carlos A. Gimenez, who represents Florida's 28th district and is the only member of Congress born in Cuba, has called for China to be ousted from the Western Hemisphere.
"Communist China has no place in the Western Hemisphere and must be expelled," Gimenez declared on X, accusing Beijing of "actively attempting to undermine America in our own hemisphere by providing a lifeline to Havana."
His statement was shared alongside an image of the opinion piece "Don't Let China Bail Out Cuba," published in The Hill by analyst Gordon G. Chang. The article outlines China's intelligence presence on the island and suggests specific actions to remove them.
In his article, Chang references a July 2026 State Department report titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," which concludes that Beijing actively operates three of the 18 known signals intelligence facilities in Cuba.
This official report describes the Chinese presence as a "significant threat to U.S. military operational security," labeling Cuba as one of China's most critical "foreign listening posts."
R. Evan Ellis from the U.S. Army War College told Chang that China might have been operating listening posts in Cuba since 1993.
"China is closely monitoring any U.S. military actions in Cuba but will likely cling to its valuable electronic and signals intelligence facilities until it is forced out," Ellis warned.
U.S. Sanctions and China's Support for Cuba
The backdrop to Gimenez's statements includes sanctions imposed by the State Department on August 6 against Waldo Pérez Cortés, a Cuban military representative in China, accused of facilitating the acquisition of technology for the island. This measure was part of a broader package affecting eight individuals and five entities linked to the military apparatus and the GAESA conglomerate.
China has been ramping up its energy support for the Cuban regime. Cuban imports of Chinese solar panels soared from around three million dollars in 2023 to 117 million in 2025. Early August saw Beijing delivering a new batch of 5,000 solar systems intended for the country's 169 municipalities.
Military Experts Weigh In
Retired U.S. Air Force General Blaine Holt, former deputy military advisor to NATO, suggested a robust response to Chang: "We can do to the Chinese in Cuba what they do to us in the South China Sea: take actions just below the threshold of war. Create discomfort. Pin them with a thousand needles."
Holt specifically recommended restricting flights to and from the island to cut the "lifeline" to Chinese personnel and additionally halt the entry of new solar panels.
The Cuban regime, through Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío, has denied the existence of Chinese intelligence or military bases on the island, dismissing the allegations as "defamatory."
Gimenez, a member of the House Select Committee on China since January 2023, has been identified by the University of California San Diego's China Data Lab as the congressman most frequently condemning China: 173 times since the start of the 118th Congress.
Frequently Asked Questions About China's Influence in Cuba
What actions did Carlos Gimenez propose against China?
Carlos Gimenez called for the expulsion of China from the Western Hemisphere, criticizing Beijing for undermining America's interests by supporting Cuba.
What is the significance of China's presence in Cuba according to the State Department?
The State Department's report highlights China's presence as a major threat to U.S. military operational security, with Cuba acting as a critical foreign listening post for Chinese intelligence.
How has China increased its support for Cuba?
China has boosted its energy support by significantly increasing the export of solar panels to Cuba, with recent shipments intended to supply all municipalities on the island.