The U.S. Department of Defense has updated its list of Chinese companies, adding Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and robotics company Unitree Robotics to the list. According to the U.S., these companies are identified as entities supporting the Chinese military. The expansion of the list will put greater policy pressure on U.S. companies doing business with these companies, and could further escalate U.S.-China technology and trade frictions.

The list has increased to 188 companies.

This list, known as the "1260H List," is based on relevant provisions of the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. It is not a direct sanctions list, but it typically serves as one of the bases for subsequent restrictive measures by the U.S. government.

TechCrunch, citing publicly available information, reports that the updated list now includes 188 companies. This version was briefly released in February of this year before being removed from the Federal Register without explanation.

Companies involved in AI, automobiles and robotics

The newly added companies cover several key technology sectors in China. In addition to Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, and Unitree Robotics, NIO, battery manufacturers Zhongchuanghang and EVE Energy are also included on the list, as is LiDAR manufacturer RoboSense.

In terms of industry distribution, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, new energy vehicles, batteries, and robotics are the key areas of focus in this round of updates. Baidu itself is also one of the major players in China's autonomous driving field. With Tencent being included in the list last year, more major Chinese AI companies have now entered this framework.

This could exacerbate US-China technology friction.

The report points out that the expansion of the list increases the likelihood of the U.S. Department of Defense pushing for further restrictions, particularly affecting cooperation, procurement, and investment arrangements between U.S. companies and these Chinese enterprises. While being included on the list does not immediately trigger a comprehensive ban, it often puts pressure on a company's business environment in the U.S. market.

This move also echoes the Trump administration's policy of continuously pressuring China. The report mentions that Trump pressured China through tariffs during both his terms, including imposing a 100% tariff on imported electric vehicles from China.

As of the time of publication, Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, NIO, and RoboSense had not immediately responded to media requests for comment.