Aggregator
Emotional Savannah Guthrie addresses return to work after mom Nancy’s disappearance: ‘Trying so hard to hold it together’
Emotional Savannah Guthrie addresses return to work after mom Nancy’s disappearance: ‘Trying so hard to hold it together’
Pentagon Names Alibaba, Baidu, And BYD In Updated Chinese Military Companies List As DoD Contracting Bans Loom
The Department of Defense has filed a major update to its official list of "Chinese military companies" operating in the United States, formally naming or reaffirming high-profile firms including Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, BGI Group, and Autel as companies linked to Beijing's military-civil fusion strategy.
The notice, filed on Monday and scheduled for Federal Register publication on June 10, comes just weeks before new restrictions on Department of Defense contracting with listed entities take effect on June 30. The companies are alleged to have ownership or ties to SASAC (State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission), affiliations with MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), PLA connections, support from China's "Little Giant" industrial program, or a presence in military-civil fusion zones.
Section 1260H requires the Pentagon to identify Chinese companies that conduct commercial business while also supporting or being affiliated with the People's Liberation Army or China's defense-industrial base. The list has existed for years, but the consequences are now becoming more significant. Effective June 30, the DoD will be barred from entering into, renewing, or extending contracts directly with listed companies or entities they control. A broader indirect ban - covering goods or services that incorporate products from these firms - follows in June 2027. Additional rules restrict DoD contractors from working with entities that lobby on behalf of listed companies.
In short, the Pentagon is putting major Chinese companies on notice that it views them as potential extensions of China's military and defense ecosystem, even if those companies are better known globally for consumer products, cloud services, electric vehicles, drones, or biotech.
Key Companies DesignatedSeveral globally significant names stand out in the update:
- Alibaba Group Holding Limited: Indirectly affiliated with SASAC and flagged as a military-civil fusion contributor due to its MIIT ties. The company's dominance in e-commerce, cloud computing, and AI raises long-standing dual-use technology concerns.
- Baidu, Inc.: Similarly linked to SASAC and cited for MIIT affiliation, reflecting U.S. concerns about its AI, search, and autonomous systems capabilities.
- BYD Company Limited: Directly and indirectly tied to SASAC and MIIT. The world's largest electric vehicle maker is highlighted for its critical role in batteries and EVs - sectors with clear strategic and potential military applications.
- BGI Group (including BGI Genomics and other subsidiaries): Noted for direct PLA affiliation and MIIT ties, along with government assistance tied to military planning objectives. The genomics firm has previously drawn scrutiny over data security and collection practices.
- Autel entities (Autel Intelligent Technology and Autel Robotics): Designated for "Little Giant" status and MIIT connections, underscoring concerns around commercial drones and robotics with obvious military uses.
The broader list includes many other major players, including SMIC and memory chip firms (CXMT, YMTC), COMAC and AVIC aerospace entities, CATL and EVE Energy batteries, Huawei-related companies, DJI, Hikvision, Tencent, SenseTime, and various shipping and construction conglomerates. Some firms appear with extensive U.S. or international subsidiaries.
A handful of entities were removed from the previous January 2025 list, including certain CNOOC and COSCO subsidiaries.
Broader Context and StakesThis update marks the latest step in years of escalating U.S. policy toward China's military-civil fusion strategy. Earlier Pentagon assessments and a February 2026 draft notice had already previewed many of these additions before being withdrawn. The move also fits into a wider U.S. effort that includes Entity List expansions, investment restrictions, export controls, and legislative pushes targeting Chinese biotech and technology supply chains.
Geopolitically, the list reflects Washington's view that key commercial sectors - AI, semiconductors, EVs and batteries, biotech/genomics, drones, and cloud infrastructure - cannot be cleanly separated from China's national security apparatus. It arrives amid intensifying competition over critical technologies and broader strategic tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Listed entities can request reconsideration by submitting evidence to a designated Pentagon email address.
Tyler Durden Mon, 06/08/2026 - 14:00Trump Admin Provided No Defensive Action For Israel Amid Iranian Missile Salvo
We've been documenting the apparent immense strain in the US-Israel relationship related to Iran policy and strategy. In this latest round of trading major blows, President Trump reportedly not only told Israel to immediately halt its response and to not retaliate, but gave no order for US forces to protect Israel, for example by manning and operating crucial anti-air defenses.
While Iranian ballistic missiles were inbound, "The US military didn't take part in the Israeli attacks against Iran, the first since the ceasefire, and the Trump admin didn't order any US defensive action to shield Israel from incoming Iranian missiles, per a US official" - according to CBS White House correspondent Jennifer Jacobs.
If accurate, this marks a major change in US priorities and the Pentagon's posture in the region. Going back to last year's 11-day June war, as well as from the start of Operation Epic Fury, Washington has previously provided consistent cover and protection for Israel, especially on the anti-air defense front.
Source: picture alliance/CFOTOThe notable change and shift is also being reported by NBC, which writes Monday morning, "The U.S. military did not conduct any strikes against Iran with Israel, according to a U.S. official."
"The U.S. did not shoot down or intercept any incoming Iranian missiles or projectiles during this recent volley between Israel and Iran," the report continues. "And the current U.S. assessment is that Iran was not targeting any U.S. personnel, assets, or locations during the strikes directed at Israel, the official said."
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has however, affirmed it has been in contact with senior Israeli military officials, presumably to receive updates and briefings on the Iranian attacks of the prior 24 hours, as well as related to the latest on Israeli offensive actions.
While Washington is creating distance between itself and this renewed round of fighting, Iranian officials aren't buying the narrative.
In a fresh message from Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, Tehran says that "Without a doubt ... the actions of the Zionist regime in the region cannot be separated from U.S. policies." Tehran is rejecting the US insistence that it is not behind Israel's actions: "No one believes that the Zionist regime would carry out any action without prior coordination and cooperation with the United States," Baqaei added.
Meanwhile, President Trump declared in a Financial Times interview published on Sunday - "I call the shots" regarding actions against Iran, and not Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "won't have any choice" but to accept an impending agreement between the US and Iran, Trump stated.
Mark Levin rages over lack of US defense for Israel:
Very unfortunate.
Nothing to be proud of but noted by all. https://t.co/DJYONxd9DC
At the same time, a US official told Axios on Sunday that Trump was "pretty adamant that we are close to a deal with Iran," urging space to give diplomacy a chance.
Though Israel ultimately went ahead with a strike on Iranian territory following Sunday's missile barrage, the situation is showing signs of a temporary pause on Monday. Iran's military announced it had halted its operations, claiming it had successfully sent its intended message, even as Trump continued to publicly insist that both nations are actively looking to agree on an "immediate CEASEFIRE" (on Truth Social).
Tyler Durden Mon, 06/08/2026 - 13:40