Alibaba Denies Accusations of Military Assistance, Calls It a 'Malicious PR Operation'
Chinese tech giant Alibaba has refuted allegations of aiding Beijing's military operations against the United States, labeling a recent media report as 'completely false'. The controversy arises from a White House memo, cited by the Financial Times, suggesting Alibaba provides tech support and customer data to Chinese authorities and the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The memo, according to the FT, claims Alibaba shares sensitive information like IP addresses, WiFi details, and payment records. However, the FT also noted the inability to independently verify these claims, with the White House considering the actions a threat to US security. Alibaba's response was swift and assertive.
An Alibaba Group spokesperson stated, 'The assertions and innuendos in the article are completely false.' The company further accused the memo of being a 'malicious PR operation' orchestrated by a rogue entity aiming to undermine President Trump's recent trade deal with China. This conflict underscores the ongoing tensions between Beijing and Washington, both striving for technological supremacy.
President Trump's return to the White House earlier this year marked a resurgence in trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. Following months of tariffs, Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce in late October. Meanwhile, China's embassy in the United States refuted the memo's claims, with spokesperson Liu Pengyu emphasizing that the Chinese government would never compel companies to violate foreign laws by collecting or providing data.
The report also highlights growing concerns in the US about China's potential deployment of advanced spying technology. California-based company Anthropic claimed to have identified and thwarted the first recorded cyber-espionage operation by autonomous AI systems, attributed to a 'Chinese state-sponsored group'. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian, when asked about the report, acknowledged Beijing's stance against hacking but remained non-committal on the specifics.
This incident raises questions about the delicate balance between technological advancement and national security, inviting further discussion and scrutiny.
