Alibaba accused of assisting Chinese military in targeting the US, leaked White House memo shows

Alibaba helping Chinese military target the US, White House memo claims: Report

Washington has accused Chinese tech giant Alibaba of covertly aiding military activity targeting the United States, according to a Financial Times report based on a White House memo containing declassified top-secret intelligence.

The memo outlines what officials describe as a pattern of cooperation between Alibaba and the People’s Liberation Army, including alleged access to customer data, AI services, and information on zero-day software flaws, capabilities the White House views as a threat to U.S. security, the FT reported.

Officials told the paper they could not independently verify each detail, but said the allegations align with broader concerns over Chinese cloud and AI firms. “We take these threats very seriously,” a U.S. official said, noting ongoing efforts to counter cyber intrusions by “untrusted vendors.”

The FT said the memo accuses Alibaba of supplying the PLA with IP addresses, WiFi information, payment data, and AI-linked tools, and alleges that some employees shared knowledge of undisclosed software vulnerabilities that could bolster China’s cyber operations.

Alibaba rejected the accusations. "The assertions and innuendos in the article are completely false," the company said, questioning the basis of the leak and adding that "This malicious PR operation clearly came from a rogue voice looking to undermine President Trump’s recent trade deal with China."

China’s embassy in Washington also criticised the claims. In a statement, spokesperson Liu Pengyu said, "Without valid evidence, the US jumped to an unwarranted conclusion and made groundless accusations against China. It is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts. China firmly opposes this."

The White House declined to comment.