Chinese tech giants refute US ‘Section 1260H’ list inclusion, Tencent saying ‘clearly a mistake’

Tencent (File photo/Xinhua)

Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings on Tuesday refuted its inclusion on a blacklist issued by the US Department of Defense over allegations of aiding Chinese military, stating that the "inclusion on this list is clearly a mistake."

According to a document published by the US Department of Defense, it added Tencent Holdings, leading battery maker CATL, and artificial intelligence software company SenseTime, among a number of other Chinese companies, to its "Section 1260H" list of firms allegedly linked to China's military.

"Tencent's inclusion on this list is clearly a mistake. We are not a military company or supplier. Unlike sanctions or export controls, this listing has no impact on our business. We will nonetheless work with the Department of Defense to address any misunderstanding," Tencent said in a statement sent to the Global Times.

"The US' move is groundless, which we strongly oppose," SenseTime Group Inc said in a statement on Tuesday.

Being put on the blacklist will have no material impact on SenseTime's business, the company said, noting that it is willing to actively communicate with related parties so as to obtain fair treatment.

The US annually updated the list of "Chinese military companies" under "Section 1260H".

The Global Times contacted CATL on Tuesday but has yet to receive a response as of press time.

The US is using security as a tool to target Chinese companies, Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.