The United States has added Alibaba, Baidu, BYD and NIO to a list of companies that the Pentagon assesses as supporting China’s military sector.
The updated U.S. Defense Department list replaced a version published in early 2025. It appeared less than a month after Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In addition to Alibaba, Baidu, BYD and NIO, the list includes the biotechnology company WuXi AppTec, RoboSense Technology, a developer of AI systems for robotics, and Unitree, one of China’s leading makers of humanoid and quadruped robots.
Some of the companies have already rejected the U.S. allegations. Alibaba said there was “no basis” for its inclusion on the list.
The company stressed that it is not a military organization and does not take part in China’s military-civil fusion strategy.
Baidu called the decision “completely baseless” and said it would seek removal from the list by every available means.
WuXi AppTec also said its inclusion on the list was a mistake and promised to “immediately take steps to challenge and correct this erroneous decision.”
The Chinese Embassy in Washington criticized the U.S. move, accusing American authorities of using discriminatory lists to put pressure on Chinese companies.
“The United States should stop this wrongful practice and create a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies,” an embassy spokesperson said.
According to the Pentagon, all companies included on the list meet the criteria for entities linked to China’s military sector and operate in the United States. They retain the right to challenge the decision.
Inclusion on the list does not itself mean automatic sanctions. Starting this month, however, the U.S. Department of Defense will be barred from contracting directly with such companies. From 2027, the Pentagon will also be unable to procure their products and services through intermediaries.