By Colleen Howe
BEIJING, June 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. has added some of the world's largest solar and battery manufacturers to a list of companies it believes are aiding China's military.
Washington added Trinasolar and JA Solar Technology, two of the world's largest solar panel makers, as part of a long-awaited update to the list on Monday along with a raft of top technology names including e-commerce giant Alibaba and internet search provider Baidu.
It also included EVE Energy and CALB Group, two of
the largest battery makers for energy storage and electric vehicles.
Trinasolar said in a statement it had never engaged in any military-related activities and had already initiated legal procedures to appeal the designation, which it called "completely groundless".
"Trinasolar demands that the U.S. government immediately rectify this erroneous measure and foster a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory international business environment," it said, adding that its global production was unaffected.
JA Solar, EVE, and CALB did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Alibaba, Baidu, and biotech company WuXi AppTec said in statements that their inclusion on the list was an error and they would take action to change the designation.
Under U.S. law the Defense Department will be prohibited from contracting directly with companies on the list and restricted from buying their products or services through third parties from 2027.
(Reporting by Colleen Howe; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
