June 11 (Reuters) - Drug developer WuXi AppTec said on Thursday it has asked a U.S. district court to remove it from the Department of Defense's list of companies linked to the Chinese military.
WuXi in an exchange filing said its designation as a Chinese military company (CMC) was "erroneous and unsupported by the facts or the legal criteria."
In its lawsuit, the company has requested the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to declare the designation "null, void and with no force and effect."
WuXi's inclusion on the list, which was announced on Monday, is part of a broader Pentagon effort under Section 1260H to identify Chinese firms deemed to have ties to Beijing's military.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon said the department does not comment on ongoing or potential litigation.
The list includes Chinese heavyweights, from tech titans such as Alibaba and Baidu, to automakers such as BYD and Nio.
While the list does not formally impose direct sanctions, it prohibits the DoD from contracting with listed firms starting later this month, with restrictions extending to third-party product or service sourcing by 2027.
The list reflects heightened U.S. concerns over China's military and industrial advancements amid escalating geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Listed firms can petition for removal, according to the Pentagon announcement.
WuXi AppTec, which first announced its intent to challenge the designation earlier this week, said on Thursday it would keep shareholders updated on significant developments in the legal proceedings.
(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino and Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber, Devika Syamnath and Sahal Muhammed)
