 "Alibaba denied the accusations. (Reuters)")
Washington has accused Chinese technology company Alibaba of quietly enabling military activity directed at US targets, according to the Financial Times, which reviewed a White House memo based on declassified top-secret intelligence. The document outlines what officials describe as a pattern in which Alibaba allegedly allowed the People’s Liberation Army to obtain customer data, AI resources, and details of zero-day software weaknesses.
According to the memo, these capabilities are viewed by the White House as posing a direct security risk to the United States.cThe memo asserts that Alibaba provided the PLA with IP address information, WiFi details, payment data and AI-related services. It also alleges that some staff members passed on information about previously undisclosed software vulnerabilities, which US officials argue could strengthen the Chinese military’s cyber capabilities.
Alibaba and China reject claims
Officials quoted by the FT said they were unable to verify every element of the intelligence but noted that the allegations align with wider concerns in Washington about the extent of Chinese cloud and AI companies’ access to sensitive information. One US official stated that the administration was working continuously to counter cyber intrusions linked to vendors it does not consider trustworthy.
Alibaba denied the accusations. “The assertions and innuendos in the article are completely false,” the company said, adding that it questioned the motives behind the anonymous disclosure and describing it as a “malicious PR operation” intended to undermine President Trump’s recent trade agreement with China.
China’s embassy in Washington also rejected the allegations. Spokesperson Liu Pengyu said the United States had reached an “unwarranted conclusion” without evidence and made “groundless accusations” against China, calling the claims irresponsible and a distortion of facts.
The White House did not comment.