US court rules against China, issues $24 billion fine for pandemic deception

A federal court in Missouri has ruled that the Chinese government is guilty of concealing information about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and has ordered it to pay $24 billion in damages.

The state of Missouri will seize Chinese assets as part of the fine’s enforcement, Caliber.Az reports referring to the New York Times (NYT).

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2020 by then-Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt against the Communist Party of China. It alleged that Beijing deliberately hid crucial information about the virus during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, obstructed manufacturing efforts in other countries, and restricted the purchase and export of vital medical equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE).

In his ruling, Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. wrote that "China misled the world" regarding the severity and scale of the pandemic and engaged in actions that amounted to a monopoly on PPE production. He stated that as a result of China’s actions, the US was unable to respond in time to the virus’s spread or secure sufficient medical supplies. Judge Limbaugh Jr. also noted that COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in Missouri in 2020 and 2021.

Following the court's decision, Missouri’s current Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, emphasized that the state suffered economic damages due to China’s actions. He vowed that Missouri authorities "will collect every penny by seizing Chinese assets."

In response, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, rejected the ruling, declaring that China “does not recognize the court’s decision.” He further stated: "This so-called lawsuit has no factual basis, legal standing, or international precedent." Liu warned that China would take retaliatory measures if its interests were harmed.

According to NYT, foreign governments can be held accountable in US courts, but the circumstances for such cases are limited under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), enacted in the 1970s. The report also noted that US courts have previously ruled against foreign governments, including India and Mongolia, in the 2000s.

Meanwhile, debates over the origins of COVID-19 continue. In January, the new CIA leadership stated that it considers the lab-origin theory of the virus to be plausible. However, China has repeatedly denied the possibility that COVID-19 was artificially created, insisting that the issue is being politicized to discredit Beijing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) leans toward the belief that the virus emerged naturally, but has also criticized China for withholding crucial data needed for a full investigation.

By Tamilla Hasanova