Xiaomi Sues The US Minister Of Defense And Finance To Court

Illustration (Photo: Twitter @Xiaomi)

JAKARTA - Xiaomi is suing the United States (US) Ministry of Defense and Finance to court. Because the smartphone manufacturer is included in the US trade blacklist and is considered to have close ties with the Chinese military.

In his lawsuit filed in Washington, USA district court, Xiaomi included the names of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as defendants. Xiaomi calls the US government's decision to include Xiaomi in the list as an action that is not legal and unconstitutional.

Xiaomi said the US decision to list the company as a "Chinese communist military company" was "factually untrue" and said they had asked the court to declare the decision illegal.

They also reiterated that Xiaomi had nothing to do with and was not controlled by the Chinese military. Their inclusion on the no-investment list had an immediate and irreparable impact on them.

"The company's strategic relationship with US-based financial institutions - which are essential for Xiaomi to gain access to the funds needed to continue growing in a competitive market - has been significantly impacted", Xiaomi wrote in the lawsuit, Reuters, Monday, February 1.

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- Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) January 15, 2021

As is known, Xiaomi was included in the blacklist of companies that were banned by the US, under the administration of President Donald Trump. Xiaomi is classified as a communist Chinese military company by the US Ministry of Defense.

Xiaomi's inclusion in this list prevents them from accepting investments from US-based companies. Xiaomi's fate is similar to that of Huawei which was also banned and included in the US trade blacklist.