The United States has added technology giant China-based Tencent to a list of companies designated as partners with the Chinese military, according to Bloomberg.

The Pentagon on Tuesday added Tesla battery-maker Contemporary Amperex Technology, or CATL, and internet and gaming giant Tencent Holdings to its list of companies it says have ties to the Chinese military.

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

While the Chinese internet giant Tencent is best known for its super app WeChat, it’s also a major investor in U.S. tech companies and startups. Some of

But several US-based videogame companies, including Microsoft, would be considered US military companies if the same metric was applied to them.

Tencent may be the biggest video game corporation in the world, but as of a Jan. 7, it’s also one of several Chinese firms to be labeled a “military company” by the United States Department of Defense. In a statement to investors, Tencent chairman Ma Huateng called the decision a “mistake,” but also doesn’t expect it to affect the business.

Tencent Holdings Limited, the parent company of Tencent Games, is now considered a Chinese military company by the United States government.

Shares of Tencent Holdings sank 7% in Hong Kong trading Tuesday after the WeChat parent was added by the U.S. Department of Defense to its list of "Chinese military companies."

The US has added several Chinese technology companies, including gaming and social media giant Tencent and battery maker CATL, to a list of businesses it says work with China's military. The list serves as a warning to American companies and organisations about the risks of doing business with Chinese entities.