Pentagon adds Alibaba, BYD, Baidu to military support list

The Pentagon has added several prominent Chinese technology and automotive companies, including Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and robotics firm Unitree, to its list of entities it says support the Chinese military. The updated list, published on Monday, June 8, 2026, now includes 188 Chinese companies and is part of a broader U.S. effort to counter what it describes as China's military-civil fusion strategy.

The designations were made under Section 1260H of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the Pentagon to identify Chinese companies operating in the United States that it believes contribute to the country's defense industrial base. While the designation does not impose immediate sanctions, it prohibits the Department of Defense from entering into or renewing direct contracts with listed entities starting June 30, 2026. Indirect contracting bans are set to follow a year later.

The list's expansion into major consumer-facing sectors signals a growing focus on companies developing advanced technologies. The new additions include electric vehicle manufacturers BYD and Nio, battery producers CALB Group and EVE Energy, lidar sensor makers RoboSense and Hesai, and...