Alibaba sues US military over labeling it a 'Chinese military company'
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense, challenging its designation as a 'Chinese military company' and seeking removal from a blacklist.
The Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Defense over its inclusion on a list of firms allegedly tied to China's military. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a federal court in San Jose, California, seeks to have Alibaba removed from the growing blacklist of companies accused of assisting the Chinese military.
In its court filing, Alibaba argued that the designation "has no basis in fact or law." The company stated that it is governed by an independent board with no military affiliations, and its products and services are designed for retail, logistics, and enterprise IT, not weapons or defense.
The U.S. added Alibaba, along with firms like BYD and Baidu, to the list on June 8. Alibaba had previously warned it would take legal action. China's embassy in Washington called the designations "discriminatory."
The Pentagon's list of "Chinese military companies" has grown to 188 firms, up from 134 in 2025. Starting June 30, listed companies cannot provide goods, services, or technology to the Defense Department. From 2027, the Pentagon will be barred from contracting with such entities, even through third parties.
In a statement, the Pentagon accused Alibaba of being a "military-civil fusion contributor" due to its alleged affiliation with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
