China: Spreading Rumors and Falsehoods is a Well-Known American Tactic

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin noted on Friday that "spreading rumors and falsehoods is a well-known American tactic," following a media report that claimed Beijing reached an agreement with Cuba to establish an electronic listening post on the island. He added, "The United States is the world's strongest empire in cyber piracy, as well as a major country in surveillance and monitoring." The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials familiar with intelligence indicated that "such a facility would allow Beijing to collect electronic communication data from the southeastern United States, where many U.S. military bases are located, as well as monitor ship movements." White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told Reuters on Thursday that the report "is not accurate," but did not specify what he believed was inaccurate.