(Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled an executive order prohibiting U.S. investments in Chinese firms that Washington says are owned or controlled by the Chinese military.

The order could impact some of China's biggest companies. It is designed to deter U.S. investment firms, pension funds and others from buying and selling shares of 31 Chinese companies that were designated by the Defense Department as backed by the Chinese military earlier this year.

Below is a list of those companies based on Department of Defense data found here https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/28/2002486689/-1/-1/1/LINK_1_1237_TRANCHE-23_QUALIFYING_ENTITIES.PDF and here https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/28/2002486659/-1/-1/1/LINK_2_1237_TRANCHE_1_QUALIFIYING_ENTITIES.PDF. Most of them have subsidiaries listed in mainland China and/or Hong Kong.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp

China Electronics Technology Group Corp

China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC)

China South Industries Group Corp

China State Shipbuilding Corp

China North Industries Group Corp (Norinco Group)

Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology

Huawei Technologies

Inspur Group

Aero Engine Corporation of China

China Railway Construction Corp

CRRC Corp

Panda Electronics Group

Dawning Information Industry Co

China Mobile Communications Group

China General Nuclear Power Group

China National Nuclear Corp

China Telecommunications Corp

China Communications Construction Company (CCCC)

China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)

China Spacesat

China United Network Communications Group

China Electronics Corporation

China National Chemical Engineering Group Co Ltd

China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina)

SinoChem Group Co Ltd

China State Construction Group

China Three Gorges Corporation

China Nuclear Engineering & Construction Corporation

(Reporting by Chris Sanders; Editing by Leslie Adler)