Chinese technology giant Alibaba on Saturday forcefully denied allegations that it supports Chinese military operations against U.S. targets, calling a recent report “completely false” as geopolitical frictions between the two powers intensify. The rebuttal came after the Financial Times reported on a White House memo claiming the company provides the Chinese government and the People’s Liberation Army with access to customer data, including IP addresses, WiFi information, and payment records. The newspaper noted it could not independently verify the memo’s assertions, which U.S. officials reportedly view as a national security threat.
Alibaba said in a statement that “the assertions and innuendos in the article are completely false” and labeled the memo a “malicious PR operation” orchestrated by a rogue actor attempting to undermine President Donald Trump’s recent trade deal with China. A spokesperson for China’s Embassy in the United States echoed that denial, stressing that Beijing “will never require companies or individuals to collect or provide data located in foreign countries in violation of local laws.”
The controversy underscores the deep mistrust characterizing relations between Washington and Beijing, as both governments compete for dominance in advanced technology. Since returning to office in January, Trump has reignited a bitter trade war with China, although he and President Xi Jinping agreed late last month to a one-year truce after months of escalating tariffs.
Concerns over China’s potential use of tech platforms for espionage have been rising in Washington. Earlier this week, California-based AI company Anthropic said it had detected what it described as the first largely autonomous cyberespionage campaign run by an AI system. The firm attributed the activity to a Chinese state-sponsored group known as GTG-1002. Asked about the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he was not familiar with the details but insisted Beijing consistently opposes hacking activities.
The latest dispute adds another flashpoint to a relationship increasingly defined by suspicion, technological rivalry, and politically charged accusations on both sides.
