Chinese technology giant Alibaba has dismissed allegations that it aids Beijing in targeting the United States, describing a recent media report as “completely false,” AFP reported on Saturday.
The Financial Times cited a White House memo claiming that Alibaba provides technical support for Chinese military operations against US targets, including sharing customer data such as IP addresses, WiFi information, and payment records with Chinese authorities and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The newspaper noted it could not independently verify the claims, which the White House considers a threat to US security.
An Alibaba spokesperson told AFP, “The assertions and innuendos in the article are completely false.” The Hangzhou-based company described the memo as a “malicious PR operation… clearly from a rogue voice aiming to undermine President Trump’s recent trade deal with China.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington also denied the allegations. Spokesperson Liu Pengyu stated, “The Chinese government… will never require companies or individuals to collect or provide data located in foreign countries in violation of local laws.”
The dispute reflects ongoing tensions between Beijing and Washington over technological dominance. Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has intensified a trade war with China, although he and President Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce last month.
Concerns about cyber-espionage have grown recently. California-based AI firm Anthropic reported disrupting what it described as the first documented AI-driven cyber-espionage campaign, attributed to a “Chinese state-sponsored group” designated GTG-1002.
When questioned about the report, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said he was “not familiar with the specifics,” adding that Beijing consistently combats hacking activities.