Battery giant CATL responds to inclusion on US list of military-linked entities

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) has responded to its inclusion in an updated list of companies the DoD believes are linked to the Chinese military.

The world’s biggest battery maker was added to the list on Jan. 7, 2025, along with technology giant TenCent, chipmaker Changxin Memory Technologies, drone manufacturer Autel Robotics, and internet-of-things business Quectel Wireless.

In response, CATL wrote on its website, “We became aware that the US Department of Defense had designated CATL as a ‘Chinese military company’ on Jan. 7, 2025. CATL has never engaged in any military-related business or activities so this designation by the Department of Defense is a mistake. It does not restrict CATL from conducting business with entities other than [the] DoD and is expected to have no substantially adverse impact on our business. We will proactively engage with [the] DoD to address the false designation, including legal action if necessary, to protect the interests of our company and shareholders as a whole.”

Since 2021, section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 has required the United States Secretary of Defense to maintain a list of Chinese companies which could pose a threat to US national security.

Although the list of companies has no legal implications or sanctions attached to it, it could pressure federal bodies such as the US Department of the Treasury into excluding CATL, the world’s biggest stationary storage and electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer, from public procurement.