US court grants temporary relief to Alibaba in Pentagon lobbying dispute

On Monday, October 26, 2026, a U.S. federal judge granted Alibaba’s request for a temporary injunction against the American government. The ruling prevents the Department of Defense from excluding contractors from government deals solely because those companies, or their subsidiaries, employ lobbying firms that also represent the Chinese e-commerce giant.

This decision marks a procedural victory for Alibaba, which has been seeking to overturn its designation as a company linked to the Chinese military. The tech conglomerate was added to the Pentagon’s blacklist in June 2026, alongside other major Chinese firms including Baidu and BYD. The restriction on lobbying associations had previously hindered Alibaba’s ability to maintain relationships in Washington, as partners were forced to choose between the tech firm and lucrative Pentagon contracts.

While the current injunction resolves the immediate issue of lobbying associations, the primary legal battle to remove Alibaba from the U.S. military’s blacklist remains ongoing. The court has yet to issue a final ruling on the legitimacy of the Pentagon’s classification, leaving the broader dispute unresolved for now.