- Chinese tech giant seeks removal from “Chinese military company” list
- Company says designation lacks evidence and due process
Alibaba Group has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense, seeking to be removed from its list of “Chinese military companies,” according to state-run newspaper Global Times, escalating a dispute over Washington’s designation of Chinese firms.
In a complaint submitted on June 23 to a federal court in San Jose, California, Alibaba said the Pentagon provided neither sufficient evidence nor a reasonable explanation when it added the company to the list, media reports said.
The company argued that the decision violates the US Constitution’s due process protections and infringes on its free speech rights.
Requesting removal from the list
Alibaba confirmed the lawsuit on June 24 in a statement to Global Times, saying: “We have formally filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense, requesting that the company be removed from the ‘Chinese military company’ list.”
The company stressed that it is not a military contractor and does not participate in any civil-military integration strategy, calling the designation “factually unfounded, arbitrary and capricious.”
‘All available legal actions’
The Pentagon updated its list on June 8 to include Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, prompting strong objections from the companies involved.
Alibaba said the designation was a mistake and warned it would take “all available legal actions” against attempts to distort its corporate image.
The company also said it had been in months-long communication with the Pentagon over the matter, submitting detailed evidence and written responses to demonstrate it is not affiliated with the military, but received no reply.
