The Pentagon has concluded that Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu Inc. and BYD Co. should be added to a list of companies that aid the Chinese military, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg informed lawmakers of the conclusion in a letter on October 7, three weeks before Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a broad trade truce, according to the report.
It is not immediately clear if the companies have been added to the Pentagon’s 1260H list of Chinese companies deemed military-linked but operating in the US, Bloomberg reported.
While the designation does not involve immediate bans, it can be a blow to the reputations of affected companies and represents a stark warning to US entities and firms about the risks of conducting business with them.
Feinberg said the three companies and five others, Eoptolink Technology Inc, Hua Hong Semiconductor Ltd. , RoboSense Technology Co, WuXi AppTec Co. and Zhongji Innolight Co, merit inclusion on the 1260H list, according to the report.
An Alibaba spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement that “there’s no basis to conclude that Alibaba should be placed on the Section 1260H List,” clarifying that “Alibaba is not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy.”
The company also added that “being on the Section 1260H List would not affect our ability to conduct business as usual in the United States or anywhere in the world” as it doesn’t do any business related to US military procurement.
The Pentagon, Baidu and BYD did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comments.
The annually updated list of Chinese military companies, formally mandated under US law as the “Section 1260H list,” designated 134 companies in its last update in January, including Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings and battery maker CATL.
Pentagon seeks to add Alibaba, Baidu, BYD to China military list, Bloomberg News reports
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Pentagon seeks to add Alibaba, Baidu, BYD to China military list, Bloomberg News reports
- It is not immediately clear if the companies have been added to the Pentagon’s 1260H list of Chinese companies deemed military-linked but operating in the US, Bloomberg reported
Report highlights role of British Muslim charitable giving in supporting UK public services
- The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched service
LONDON: British Muslim charitable giving is playing an increasingly significant role in supporting frontline public services across the UK, according to a new report by policy and research organization Equi.
The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched services, including local councils, the NHS and welfare systems, at a time of growing financial pressure.
The report estimates that Muslim donors contribute around £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion) annually, making them the UK’s most generous community.
This figure is around four times the national giving average and rises to almost 10 times the average among higher earners.
According to the findings, Muslim-led charities are providing a wide range of support, including housing assistance, emergency cash grants, food provision and mental health services, easing demand on statutory services.
Equi points to evidence from 2023 showing that housing support delivered by the National Zakat Foundation helped prevent evictions that would have cost councils an estimated £28.8 million, with every £1 of charitable spending generating £73 in public sector savings.
The report also highlights a generational shift, with younger British Muslims increasingly directing their donations toward domestic causes such as homelessness, child poverty and mental health challenges.
Despite their growing impact, Muslim charities face a number of barriers, including de-banking, restrictive funding rules, securitization measures and what the report describes as limited recognition from government. Equi argues that these challenges are constraining the sector’s ability to maximize its contribution.
“British Muslim giving is not just generosity but a lifeline for public services that needs recognizing,” said Equi Managing Director Prof. Javed Khan.
“From preventing evictions to supporting mental health, these donations are saving millions for the taxpayer and strengthening communities across Britain. The evidence is clear that Muslim-led action is delivering frontline support where the state is struggling,” he added.
Equi is calling on policymakers to engage more closely with Muslim-led charities and to move beyond what it describes as symbolic recognition.
The report recommends measures such as UK-based match-funding schemes and greater faith literacy within policymaking, which it says could unlock billions of pounds in additional domestic spending while maintaining the UK’s global humanitarian commitments.
The study concluded that with greater collaboration between government and Muslim charities, charitable giving could play an even more transformative role in strengthening public services and social cohesion across the country.
