The Chinese tech giant Alibaba has filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defence to challenge its designation as a "Chinese military company" on a blacklist.
A spokesperson for Alibaba told AFP on Wednesday that the company's inclusion on the list was "arbitrary and capricious", and it has initiated legal action to be removed.
Alibaba stated that it is neither a Chinese military enterprise nor part of any strategy combining military and civilian sectors.
The complaint was submitted on Tuesday to the federal court in San Jose, California, arguing that Alibaba does not meet the criteria to be listed.
Updated in early June, the blacklist identifies 80 companies, along with their subsidiaries, which are accused of collaborating with the Chinese military. The lawsuit claims that these accusations lack any factual or legal basis.
Other major Chinese firms, including Baidu and electric car manufacturer BYD, were also added to the blacklist.
Under the designation, effective from 30 June, the Pentagon is prohibited from entering new contracts with these companies and their controlled subsidiaries.
The restrictions also limit Alibaba's ability to hire lobbying firms in the US, which the lawsuit argues infringes on fundamental rights protected by the First Amendment.
