Pentagon blacklist of Chinese tech firms expands to 188 entities

The Pentagon's blacklist of Chinese companies designated as 'Chinese military companies' has expanded to 188 entities, up from 134. The latest additions include Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, WuXi AppTec, RoboSense, Unitree Robotics, ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC). The list, published under Section 1260H of the National Defence Authorisation Act, now spans AI, electric vehicles, robotics, and biotechnology. The designation raises reputational risks and the prospect of future restrictions on US investment. Shares of newly designated companies fell in Hong Kong trading, with WuXi AppTec closing down 3.7% and Alibaba falling 1.43%, though Baidu and BYD saw slight gains. The update follows the addition of Tencent and CATL in January 2025. CXMT and YMTC had been briefly removed from the list in February, sparking criticism from China hawks.