WASHINGTON: The United States issued an updated list on Monday of Chinese companies that it believes are aiding the country’s military — including e-commerce giant Alibaba, search engine provider Baidu and electric vehicle maker BYD.
The US Defense Department unveiled the designations just weeks after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, with both sides seeking to maintain stability in the bilateral relationship.
Trump has since invited Xi to pay a reciprocal visit to Washington in September.
However, the latest release could fan tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.
The Pentagon update came months after it briefly released — then withdrew — an earlier version of the list without explanation.
