The United States has added Chinese technology and industrial giants Alibaba, Baidu and BYD to a list of companies that Washington says are linked to or supporting China's military, a move that could further strain relations between the world's two largest economies, reports Reuters.
The updated list, released by the Pentagon on Monday, expands the number of Chinese firms designated as "Chinese military companies" operating in the United States. The action comes less than a month after US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where both sides sought to preserve a fragile trade truce.
In addition to Alibaba, Baidu and electric vehicle maker BYD, the revised list includes memory chipmakers CXMT and YMTC, biotechnology company WuXi AppTec, robotics firm RoboSense Technology and humanoid robot manufacturer Unitree.
The Pentagon said the listed firms qualify for designation under US law due to alleged links to China's military and defense-industrial ecosystem. Companies on the list can petition for removal.
Several Chinese companies strongly rejected the designation. Alibaba said there was "no basis" for its inclusion and denied any connection to China's military. Baidu called the allegation "entirely baseless," while WuXi AppTec described the decision as "incorrect" and pledged to challenge it.
China's embassy in Washington also criticized the move, accusing the United States of unfairly targeting Chinese businesses and calling for a non-discriminatory business environment.
Although inclusion on the list does not automatically trigger sanctions, recent US legislation bars the Department of Defense from contracting directly with listed companies starting later this month. Restrictions on purchasing their products and services through third parties are set to take effect in 2027.
Analysts say the designation could carry significant reputational and commercial consequences by signaling security concerns to government agencies, defense contractors and investors.
The updated list reflects growing US concerns over China's technological development and military modernization. Experts say Washington is increasingly viewing China's broader technology sector as strategically important in the intensifying competition between the two countries.
"The entire technology stack is now being treated as strategically contested," said Craig Singleton, a China expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
