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The Pentagon has told lawmakers that Alibaba, Baidu and BYD should be added to the US 1260H list of Chinese military-linked companies, a move that could hurt their reputation, Bloomberg reported.
The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 9, 2020. (Photo: Reuters)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 27, 2025 03:52 IST
The Pentagon has told lawmakers that Alibaba, Baidu and BYD should be treated as companies that support the Chinese military, according to a Bloomberg report that cites an internal monolog from senior defense officials. The assessment marks one of Washington’s sharpest warnings yet about the reach of China’s tech sector inside the United States.
Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg made the case in an October 7 letter to Congress, three weeks before Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a temporary trade truce. Feinberg wrote that the companies merit inclusion on the Section 1260H list, calling the findings part of a broader effort to highlight firms that enable or assist China’s military objectives, Bloomberg reported.
The Section 1260H list, mandated under US law and updated annually, included 134 companies in its most recent January revision. Those already designated range from tech heavyweight Tencent to battery maker CATL, reflecting Washington’s expanding scrutiny of China’s commercial and technological footprint.
However, it wasn’t immediately clear whether Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu Inc or electric-vehicle giant BYD Co have formally been added to the list, which now serves as the US government’s primary inventory of Chinese companies deemed linked to the People’s Liberation Army but operating on American soil.
The Pentagon’s internal monolog was blunt. Officials argued that US companies must recognize the risks of doing business with entities that Washington believes contribute to Beijing’s military ambitions. They warned that inclusion on the 1260H roster, even without immediate sanctions, amounts to a public signal that these firms pose strategic concerns.
Feinberg also recommended adding five other companies: Eoptolink Technology, Hua Hong Semiconductor, RoboSense Technology, WuXi AppTec and Zhongji Innolight. All eight, he said, meet the threshold for being identified as Chinese military companies.
The Pentagon, along with Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, have not provided any comment.
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(With inputs from Reuters)
Published By:
Aashish Vashistha
Published On:
Nov 27, 2025
