By Michael Martina, David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department said on Monday it has added Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings and battery maker CA

The U.S. Defense Department has added major Chinese technology companies including gaming and technology company Tencent, artificial intelligence firm SenseTime and the world’s biggest battery maker CATL to its list of companies it says have ties to China’s military.

The US Defense Department has added Chinese tech companies Tencent, a social media and gaming giant, and CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, to a list of firms that it alleges work with China’s military.

Former Labor MP Michael Danby has reacted to the US blacklisting Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) over Chinese military links.

Tensions between the United States and China have escalated after Washington added two major Chinese companies to its list of entities connected to the Chinese military. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) named tech giant Tencent,

The United States has added Tencent, a leading Chinese technology conglomerate, to its list of firms accused of having ties to China’s military. This move has prompted South Korean game developers, many of whom have received investments from Tencent to access the Chinese market,