TLDR
- Alibaba stock fell 5% and Baidu dropped 2% Friday after reports emerged that the Pentagon planned to add them to a list of companies allegedly aiding China’s military
- The Pentagon briefly published an updated 1260H list including Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, BYD, and two memory chip makers before withdrawing it minutes later without explanation
- Alibaba and Baidu both issued statements categorically rejecting the designation and calling it baseless
- The 1260H list carries limited immediate legal consequences but serves as a warning to investors and can restrict companies’ abilities to contract with the military
- The list now includes over 130 entities accused of working with the Chinese military since first being published in 2021
Alibaba stock dropped 5% Friday as news broke that the Pentagon planned to add the e-commerce giant to a list of companies allegedly supporting China’s military. Baidu shares fell 2% on similar concerns.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, BABA
The selloff intensified Monday when the Pentagon briefly published an updated roster on the US Federal Register. Alibaba shares slid more than 3% in Hong Kong trading.
The list included some of China’s biggest tech names. BYD and Baidu were both down about 1% as the roster appeared online.
The Pentagon removed the list minutes after publication. The agency offered no explanation for the withdrawal.
The document was marked “unpublished” shortly after appearing. Two Chinese memory chip leaders, ChangXin Memory Technologies and Yangtze Memory Technologies, were also removed from the roster.
The so-called 1260H list targets companies accused of aiding China’s military. First published in 2021, it now includes more than 130 entities spanning airlines, computer manufacturers, and construction firms.
While the designation doesn’t impose immediate sanctions, it carries weight. The Pentagon uses it to restrict companies from military contracts and research funding.
Company Responses
Alibaba pushed back hard against the designation. “We are not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy,” the company said in a statement. “We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company.”
Baidu issued an equally forceful rejection. “We categorically reject the inclusion, which has no credible basis,” a spokesperson said. The company called suggestions of military ties “entirely baseless” and noted no evidence had been produced.
BYD, China’s top electric vehicle maker, didn’t respond to requests for comment sent outside business hours. The company’s inclusion marked the first time the list targeted China’s EV sector.
Market Impact
The 1260H designation serves as a red flag for US investors. It’s widely viewed as a potential precursor to more punitive trade restrictions.
The timing comes during heated debates in Washington over China tech policy. Three of China’s AI leaders—Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent—now face designation as military-linked companies.
The move is almost certain to provoke Beijing. China has previously protested similar designations as unfair and politically motivated.
Several Chinese companies previously added to the list have filed lawsuits challenging their inclusion. The designation represents another friction point in US-China technological competition.
The list includes firms across multiple sectors. Airlines, shipping companies, and communications providers appear alongside tech giants.
The brief publication and quick withdrawal created confusion in markets. Investors are left uncertain about which companies will ultimately face designation.
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