Tencent Considers Legal Action Against the United States

Tencent, a huge player in the realm of technology and entertainment from China, is considering taking legal action against the United States. This comes after the company found itself placed on a list of military-affiliated companies.

Communicating to its investors, Tencent emphasized it has no ties to the Chinese military. The company argues that being listed among Chinese Military Companies (CMC) is simply a mistake.

Ma Huateng, the board chair, stated, “Tencent is not a Chinese military enterprise nor does it contribute to military-civil collaboration within the defense sector. It’s our belief that being part of the CMC List was an error.”

Unlike other lists that the U.S. Government maintains for sanctions or managing export controls, Ma noted that the CMC List mainly affects U.S. defense procurement. This designation, he argues, doesn’t impact Tencent’s operations.

Tencent plans to kick off a Reconsideration Process to rectify this oversight. In this phase, they will engage with the U.S. Department of Defense to clear up any confusion. Should it become necessary, Tencent is prepared to initiate legal proceedings to have its name removed from the list. The company assured it would update the public as needed throughout this process.