US adds BYD to list of firms with alleged Chinese military ties

The US has added several major firms from China including technology giant Alibaba and electric car maker BYD to a list of companies said to have ties with the Chinese military.

The Department of Defense's list aims to alert American organisations to the risks of doing business with the Chinese firms, but their inclusion does not mean they are immediately banned.

The Chinese embassy in the US told the BBC that the list is "discriminatory" and said firms from China have strictly complied with the laws of host countries.

The BBC has contacted several firms on the list, including BYD and Baidu. An Alibaba spokesperson said there is "no basis" for their company to have been listed.

The Pentagon list, formally known as Section 1260H, includes more than 80 "Chinese military companies" that are engaged in providing commercial services for the US.

Alibaba and BYD were among companies that functioned as a military-civil contributor to Chinese defence operations, according to the list.

Alibaba's spokesperson said the firm is "not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy."

"We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company," said the spokesperson.