The U.S. Department of Defense has updated the list of Chinese companies that Washington believes cooperate with the PRC's military structures. For the first time, internet giants Alibaba and Baidu, as well as electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, were included in the list. This was reported by The Washington Post, according to UNN.
Details
The updated list significantly expands the circle of Chinese technology companies under close U.S. scrutiny. While inclusion on the list does not mean the automatic imposition of sanctions, such status often leads to increased oversight from American regulators, investors, and lawmakers. The list also included chipmakers CXMT and YMTC, pharmaceutical company WuXi AppTec, automaker Nio, networking equipment manufacturer TP-Link, and robotics company Unitree Robotics.
The Pentagon released the update a month after U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Analysts believe the decision demonstrates Washington's intent to continue economic and technological pressure on Beijing, despite attempts to stabilize relations between the countries.
China's Reaction
The Chinese Embassy in Washington criticized the U.S. actions, calling them an abuse of national security mechanisms.
The U.S. must stop its wrong practices and create a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies
In turn, Alibaba and Baidu rejected the allegations of ties to the Chinese military and announced their intention to seek removal from the list. John Moolenaar, Chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on China, called the new designations a warning to American businesses and consumers, urging them to minimize dependence on companies that, according to him, cooperate with the PRC military.
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