Washington, Jan 31 (EFE).- The Pentagon on Wednesday added more than 20 companies, including technology and telecommunications firms, to a list that identifies civilian entities it believes collaborates with China’s military.
The firms were added to the list of “‘Chinese military companies’ operating directly or indirectly in the United States,” the Department of Defense said in a statement.
According to the Pentagon, updating the list is important in order to counter what it claims is the Chinese government’s “military-civil fusion strategy” to modernize its armed forces by acquiring “advanced technologies and expertise” from Chinese companies, universities and research programs “that appear to be civilian entities.”
The companies added to the list include Megvii, a Chinese tech company that develops artificial intelligence, big-data analysis and AI company Global Tone Communication Technology, and facial recognition software developer CloudWalk Technology.
The Department of Defense’s decision to add the companies to this list comes amid the Joe Biden istration’s efforts to prevent the Chinese government from acquiring or having access to technology developed by American individuals or companies.
Last August, Biden signed an executive order that imposed limits on US investments in certain Chinese tech companies, citing threats to US national security. EFE
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