US judge blocks Pentagon contract curbs tied to Alibaba blacklist
What's new: The order lets Alibaba keep lobbyists who also represent Pentagon contractors while its challenge to the military-ties label proceeds.
A federal judge in San Jose, California, granted Alibaba Group Holding a preliminary injunction that bars the US government from denying Pentagon contracts to companies because they, their parent or subsidiaries do business with firms lobbying for Alibaba. The ruling stems from Alibaba’s June lawsuit after the Department of Defense placed the Hangzhou-based company on a list of firms allegedly aiding China’s military. The injunction does not remove Alibaba from that list, but it blocks related contract restrictions for now. The designation is set to widen in 2027, when purchases of listed companies’ products or services through third parties would also be restricted.