Alibaba Finds Path to Resume US Lobbying After Court Ruling on Blacklist Status

A U.S. court has ordered the Department of Defense to temporarily halt enforcement of lobbying restrictions on Alibaba, allowing the company to resume advocacy activities pending judicial review of its constitutional claims. The ruling, which does not resolve the broader dispute over Alibaba's inclusion on the Section 1260H list—a designation targeting firms deemed to support China's military-civil fusion strategy—permits the company to engage in lobbying until the resolution of its objection or 60 days after a scheduled hearing in August. Alibaba, along with Baidu and other firms, was added to the list in June, arguing that the restrictions violate legal procedures and free speech, and disputing the basis for its inclusion.