Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has sued the US Department of Defense, seeking removal from a Pentagon blacklist that identifies the e-commerce leader as a supporter of the Chinese military.
The Hangzhou-based company argues that the Pentagon added Alibaba to the list without providing substantial evidence or explanation, violating constitutional due process and the company's right to free speech.
Alibaba has engaged with the Pentagon for months over the designation, presenting detailed evidence that it's not a PLA supporter, but the department never replied.
The company says its inclusion in the list prevents it from retaining certain lobbyists and may lead to more punitive trade restrictions.
Alibaba is not the first company to have sued the Pentagon over the Chinese military company label, with Chinese tech companies including Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. and Xiaomi Corp. successfully removing themselves from the list after suing the Department of Defense.
