Pentagon Briefly Flags Alibaba, Baidu, BYD as Chinese Military Linked
The US Department of Defense posted then removed a document tying major Chinese tech and auto firms to China's military.
The Pentagon pulled a disappearing act. The US Department of Defense briefly published a document naming Alibaba, Baidu, and BYD among companies it believes have ties to the Chinese military — then quietly deleted it.
The three giants span search, e-commerce, cloud computing, and electric vehicles. Their addition to the Pentagon's list signals deepening American concern about national security threats posed by major Chinese corporations.
The list itself isn't new. The DoD maintains an ongoing roster of companies it considers connected to China's military apparatus. But slapping names like Alibaba and Baidu on it — two of China's most prominent tech firms — alongside EV powerhouse BYD represents a significant escalation.
Why the document was published and then yanked remains unclear. The Financial Times first reported the brief posting, raising questions about whether the move was premature or intentionally walked back.