Chinese technology and e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has sued the U.S. Department of Defense over its designation as a "Chinese military company," according to a court filing made public on Tuesday, escalating a dispute between one of China's largest firms and Washington.

"The determinations have no basis in fact or law," Alibaba said in its lawsuit.

"Alibaba is governed by an ⁠independent ⁠board, none of whom has any military affiliation."

"Its products and services are built for retail, logistics, and enterprise information technology-not weapons, defense, or intelligence," ⁠the company said.

The U.S. Department of Defense did not ​immediately respond to a request for ​comment. The United States in June ⁠added ‌Alibaba, ‌internet search provider Baidu, ⁠and automakers ‌BYD and NIO to a ​list of companies ⁠it believes ⁠are aiding Beijing's military.