In a landmark ruling on Friday, a federal judge sided with Missouri in its $24 billion lawsuit against China’s Communist Party, accusing the country of hoarding protective supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This victory marks a significant moment in Missouri’s legal battle to hold China accountable for the impact of the coronavirus, which has caused global suffering and economic turmoil.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey celebrated the decision, calling it a “landmark victory” for both the state and the nation. “China refused to show up to court, but that doesn’t mean they get away with causing untold suffering and economic devastation,” Bailey stated. He emphasized that Missouri would pursue aggressive tactics to collect the judgment, including the potential seizure of Chinese-owned assets and even farmland in Missouri.
The ruling, handed down by Judge Stephen Limbaugh, awards Missouri a staggering $24,488,825,457.00, plus postjudgment interest. Limbaugh concluded that Missouri had provided sufficient evidence to establish China’s liability under the state’s complaint. The defendants in the case include several Chinese entities, such as the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China, the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the People’s Government of Hubei Province, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, among others.
This judgment is the largest in Missouri’s history, exceeding the state’s previous record by a factor of six. The lawsuit, initially filed by former Attorney General Eric Schmitt, accused China of obstructing the production, purchase, and export of critical medical equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), during the early days of the pandemic.
The ruling also marks a significant shift in Missouri’s legal strategy after an earlier setback. A lower court had initially dismissed the case, but the Missouri Court of Appeals reversed that decision in January, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. While the appeals court narrowed the scope of the suit to focus on the supply hoarding, it still upheld the key premise of Missouri’s case — that China’s actions exacerbated the global health crisis.
Bailey’s office has indicated that they are prepared to take aggressive measures to ensure that Missouri collects the awarded judgment. The Attorney General’s office has already suggested the possibility of targeting Chinese-owned assets in the state, including agricultural land, should China refuse to comply with the ruling.
In response to the victory, Bailey took to social media, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Hey China, You owe Missouri $24 BILLION. I just won a judgment in court. Pay up — or we start seizing assets and farmland.”
The ruling represents an ongoing effort by various states and lawmakers to hold China accountable for its handling of the pandemic. Although Missouri’s legal pursuit focuses specifically on the hoarding of medical supplies, this case is part of a broader movement that questions China’s transparency in the early stages of the pandemic and its role in the global spread of COVID-19.
It remains to be seen how China will respond to the ruling and whether Missouri will move forward with the asset seizures as threatened. Regardless of the outcome, the case has set a precedent for other states seeking accountability from foreign governments and entities over the pandemic’s impact.
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I’m glad Missouri is taking their farmland back. This is a very smart move! There are many things they did while Biden was in the White House because the Biden’s had been bought by China.
China can own and control as much land as the United States can own and control in China, absolutely nothing beyond the grounds of an Embassy!
China or any other nation should be able to own and control as much property or land as the United States can own and control within their country beyond the respective Embassy of each. That equates to nothing.