Beijing warns against any US military move on Cuba

China issued a firm objection on Thursday to any potential US military action targeting Cuba, following reports that Pentagon officials were reviewing contingency plans for possible operations against the island nation.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian addressed the matter after CBS News reported that Pentagon planners had examined a range of military options, including a possible army led air assault involving thousands of US troops. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Lin said China had taken note of the reports and stressed that the use or threat of force in international relations seriously violates the UN Charter and endangers peace and security both globally and regionally. He said China firmly opposes any such action.

Unnamed US officials cited in the CBS News report emphasized that the existence of contingency planning did not indicate that President Donald Trump or the Pentagon had made any decision to actually launch an operation against Cuba.

Lin also referenced a recent vote in the UN General Assembly, where member states voted 136 to 9 in favor of debating US sanctions on Cuba. He called on Washington to immediately halt its military threats and end any form of blockade against the island. He added that China will continue offering firm support to Cuba as it works to protect its national sovereignty and resist outside interference.

According to Lin, the lopsided General Assembly vote demonstrated broad international backing for Cuba’s position and reflected what he described as a just call for ending the decades long blockade.

The exchange adds to long running friction between Washington and Havana over the US economic embargo, which has drawn annual condemnation at the United Nations for more than three decades even as it remains in place. China has positioned itself as one of Cuba’s most consistent international backers in recent years, frequently using UN forums and diplomatic statements to criticize US policy toward the island. Any reported Pentagon contingency planning targeting Cuba would mark a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana, though US officials have not confirmed that such plans reflect an imminent shift in policy. The dispute also touches on broader rivalry between Washington and Beijing, both of which have increasingly used statements on Cuba and Latin America more broadly to signal their competing visions for the region.