The Pentagon had placed Alibaba on a list of 188 Chinese companies that are said to have ties to the Chinese military. Alongside Alibaba, the blacklist includes automaker BYD, Baidu, and biotech firm AppTec. AppTec has already filed its own lawsuit.
Alibaba rejected the allegations, stating that the designation lacks any factual or legal basis. The company emphasized that it is led by an independent board whose members have no military connections. Its products and services are designed for retail, logistics, and corporate IT, not for weapons or defense.
The lawsuit was filed at a federal court in San José. The listing does not immediately trigger sanctions, but starting in 2027, the Pentagon will be barred from purchasing products or services from listed companies through third parties. Alibaba stated that the listing has already caused irreversible damage.
Source: www.heise.de
