US Adds Chinese Companies Alibaba, BYD, and Baidu to Blacklist

May 9, Kathmandu: The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has placed Chinese companies Alibaba, BYD, and Baidu on a blacklist, citing their collaboration with the Chinese military. These companies were included in the updated blacklist released on Monday. The Chinese Embassy in Washington has criticized the Pentagon’s decision, calling it a “discriminatory and improper practice.” An embassy spokesperson stated, “Chinese companies conducting business abroad strictly comply with the laws and regulations of the respective countries. The United States must halt these wrongful practices and create a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.”

Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce company, responded by asserting there is no basis for its inclusion on the blacklist and stated it will take “legal measures” against the decision. A company spokesperson said, “Alibaba is neither a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy. We will pursue all legal avenues against attempts to misrepresent our company.” Meanwhile, BYD and Baidu have not yet issued any responses.

The Pentagon updates its list of “Chinese military companies” annually, which currently includes 188 companies, up from 134 in 2023. According to the Pentagon, Chinese military companies are those owned or controlled by the Chinese military or those that contribute to China’s military-civil fusion strategy. The updated list claims Alibaba, BYD, and Baidu support China’s military development through their relationships with China’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.