Pentagon adds Alibaba, Baidu and BYD to Chinese military‑linked firms list

The U.S. Department of Defense issued an updated Chinese Military Companies List, adding dozens of firms it says support Beijing’s military, including internet giants Alibaba and Baidu and electric‑vehicle maker BYD. The revision, released a month after President Donald Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping, expands the list to cover China’s three largest publicly traded internet companies, whose combined market value is about $850 billion. While the list is not a formal sanction, inclusion can trigger reputational damage, heightened scrutiny by U.S. investors, and potential export controls or procurement bans.

Chinese officials condemned the move as an abuse of national‑security authority, and the companies issued statements denying any military ties and pledging to seek removal. U.S. lawmakers, such as Rep. John Moolenaar, highlighted the update as a continuation of pressure on Beijing despite the recent diplomatic overtures.