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
Trump accepts Nobel medal from Venezuelan opposition leader Machado
- Trump wrote: “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect“
- Machado said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people
WASHINGTON: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, in a bid to influence his efforts to shape her country’s political future.
A White House official confirmed that Trump intends to keep the medal.
In a social media post on Thursday evening, Trump wrote: “Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!“
Machado, who described the meeting as “excellent,” said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people.
The White House later posted a photo of Trump and Machado with the president holding up a large, gold-colored frame displaying the medal. Accompanying text read, “To President Donald J. Trump In Gratitude for Your Extraordinary Leadership in Promoting Peace through Strength,” and labeled the gesture as a “Personal Symbol of Gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan People.”
Machado’s attempt to sway Trump came after he dismissed the idea of installing her as Venezuela’s leader to replace the deposed Nicolas Maduro.
Trump openly campaigned for the prize before Machado was awarded it last month and complained bitterly when he was snubbed.
Though Machado gave Trump the gold medal that honorees receive with the prize, the honor remains hers; the Norwegian Nobel Institute has said the prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked.
Asked on Wednesday if he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump told Reuters: “No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.”
The Republican president has long expressed interest in winning the prize and has at times linked it to diplomatic achievements.
The lunch meeting, which appeared to last slightly over an hour, marked the first time the two have met in person.
Machado then met with more than a dozen senators, both Republican and Democratic, on Capitol Hill, where she has generally found more enthusiastic allies.
During the visit, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had looked forward to meeting Machado, but stood by his “realistic” assessment that she did not currently have the support needed to lead the country in the short term.
Machado, who fled the South American nation in a daring seaborne escape in December, is competing for Trump’s ear with members of Venezuela’s government and seeking to ensure she has a role in governing the nation going forward. After the United States captured Maduro in a snatch-and-grab operation this month, opposition figures, members of Venezuela’s diaspora and politicians throughout the US and Latin America expressed hope for Venezuela to begin a process of democratization.
HOPES OF A MOVE TO DEMOCRACY
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, one of the senators who met with Machado, said the opposition leader had told senators that repression in Venezuela was no different now than under Maduro.
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez is a “smooth operator” who was growing more entrenched by the day thanks to Trump’s support, he said.
“I hope elections happen, but I’m skeptical,” said Murphy, of Connecticut.
Trump has said he is focused on securing US access to the country’s oil and economically rebuilding Venezuela. Trump has on several occasions praised Rodriguez, Maduro’s second-in-command, who became Venezuela’s leader upon his capture. In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Trump said, “She’s been very good to deal with.”
Machado was banned from running in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election by a top court stacked with Maduro allies.
Outside observers widely believe Edmundo Gonzalez, an opposition figure backed by Machado, won by a substantial margin, but Maduro claimed victory and retained power. While the current government has freed dozens of political prisoners in recent days, outside groups and advocates have said the scale of the releases has been exaggerated by Caracas. In an annual address to lawmakers, Rodriguez called for diplomacy with the United States and said should she need to travel to Washington, she would do so “walking on her feet, not dragged there.”
She also said she would propose reforms to her country’s oil industry aimed at increasing access for foreign investors.
