US judge blocks contract restrictions tied to Alibaba lobbyists
The preliminary injunction lets Alibaba retain US lobbyists who also represent defence contractors, while its challenge to the Pentagon listing continues.
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The preliminary injunction lets Alibaba retain US lobbyists who also represent defence contractors, while its challenge to the Pentagon listing continues.
A US federal judge has barred the government from denying Pentagon contracts to companies because they, their parent companies or their subsidiaries do business with firms that lobby for Alibaba.
The preliminary injunction—a temporary court order while a case proceeds—allows the Chinese e-commerce group to retain US lobbyists who also represent Pentagon contractors, Reuters said in its report carried by CNA. That removes a potential obstacle to Alibaba’s efforts to challenge its designation as a Chinese military company.
Alibaba sued the US government in June after the Pentagon added it to a list of companies allegedly aiding China’s military. Alibaba denies military ties and says its products and services are built for retail, logistics and business technology, rather than defence or intelligence.
The lobbying restrictions had already affected Alibaba’s representation in Washington. Reuters cited an unnamed person with direct knowledge who said the company fired dozens of lobbyists after the Pentagon’s action in June.
The Pentagon designation does not impose formal sanctions. It restricts Pentagon contracts with listed companies and, from 2027, purchases of their products or services through third parties.
The injunction protects the specified lobbying relationships; it does not remove Alibaba from the Pentagon list. The company’s broader court challenge seeking removal continues.
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