Pakistan, June 9 -- The United States has added three of China's most prominent companies - Alibaba, BYD and Baidu - to its list of entities identified as supporting China's military, a move that could further strain relations between the world's two largest economies.

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The designation was announced by the Pentagon as part of its annual update of companies considered to be linked to China's military or its military-civil fusion strategy. The revised list now includes 188 firms, up from 134 in 2025.

According to the US Department of Defense, the companies were added due to their alleged connections with Chinese state institutions and their perceived contribution to...