TL;DRThe Pentagon added Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and Unitree to its 1260H list, bringing the total to 188 Chinese companies it says aid the military.
The Pentagon has added Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and robotics company Unitree to a list of entities it says support the Chinese military, the Department of Defense announced on Monday. The updated 1260H list now names 188 companies that the Pentagon identifies as operating in the United States and contributing to China’s military-civil fusion strategy. The designation increases the likelihood that the DoD will restrict US companies from doing business with the listed entities.
The list takes its name from Section 1260H of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the Pentagon to identify Chinese companies with direct or indirect ties to the People’s Liberation Army. While the designation does not impose immediate sanctions, it carries practical consequences. The FY 2024 NDAA prohibits the DoD from entering into or renewing contracts directly with listed entities starting 30 June 2026, with indirect contracting bans following a year later.
This particular update was briefly published in the Federal Register in February before being pulled without explanation, as Bloomberg reported at the time. The South China Morning Post and Kharon confirmed that the February filing included many of the same names. The version released on Monday appears to be the finalised form of that withdrawn document, now expanded to include additional entities.
