Telecoms giant Huawei -- which has been dogged by allegations of stealing American trade secrets and aiding China's espionage efforts -- and video surveillance giant Hikvision are among the firms named in the list, according to Bloomberg.

"As the People's Republic of China attempts to blur the lines between civil and military sectors, 'knowing your supplier' is critical," said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman.

The list covers firms "owned by, controlled by, or affiliated with China's government, military, or defense industry," Hoffman said in a statement.

"We envision this list will be a useful tool for the U.S. Government, companies, investors, academic institutions, and likeminded partners to conduct due diligence with regard to partnerships with these entities," he added.

Tensions have been mounting between Beijing and Washington on a number of fronts -- including trade.

US President Donald Trump has pursued a bruising trade war with China, and warned last week of "complete decoupling" between the world's top two economies despite both sides pledging to move forward on a trade deal.

China last month warned it would take "necessary measures" to protect Huawei and other firms after the US announced new restrictions on the tech giant's purchases of semiconductor technology.

Huawei did not immediately respond on the publication of the list but has previously denied ties with the Chinese government.

Other companies on the list including Hikvision were also not immediately available for comment.

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