Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, one of the fastest-growing players in Africa's emerging EV market, has been added to a U.S. Department of Defense list of companies alleged to have links to the Chinese military.
BYD was included alongside technology heavyweight Alibaba and several other Chinese firms on the Pentagon's Section 1260H list, which identifies companies believed to be directly or indirectly connected to China's military-industrial ecosystem.
While the Pentagon said the list is designed to warn American organizations about potential risks linked to the named firms, inclusion does not result in immediate sanctions.
The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the move, telling the BBC that the list is "discriminatory" and arguing that Chinese companies operating abroad have strictly complied with the laws of their host countries.
The designation comes at a critical time for BYD, which has been aggressively expanding its footprint across Africa.
