Missouri Seeks $25 Billion from CCP Over COVID-19 Equipment Hoarding

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will face trial in Missouri today as the state seeks $25 billion in damages for its alleged role in exacerbating the COVID-19 pandemic. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed the lawsuit in 2020, claiming the CCP’s actions, including hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE), caused significant harm to the state’s citizens and economy.

“We’re taking China to court to hold them accountable for unleashing COVID-19 on the world,” said Bailey in a press release. “Missouri v. China is a landmark case, and after securing key victories last year, we’re confident heading into trial.”

Missouri was the first state to file such a lawsuit against the CCP, accusing the regime of covering up critical information about the virus’s human-to-human transmission and hoarding essential PPE during the early stages of the pandemic.

While the case was initially dismissed under the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which protects foreign states from lawsuits in U.S. courts, an appeals panel in January 2024 revived part of Missouri’s lawsuit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled that the state’s claims regarding PPE hoarding fell under an exception related to commercial activities by foreign states.

The trial now focuses on proving that the CCP and affiliated entities hoarded PPE, causing direct harm to Missouri. If successful, the state could secure a default judgment, as the CCP has not sent a representative to court.

The Chinese Communist Party has dismissed the lawsuit as baseless, calling it “very absurd.” Legal briefs defending China were filed by Lawyers for Upholding International Law and The China Society of Private International Law, but none of the named China-based defendants have formally responded.

Critics of the lawsuit argue that it is primarily symbolic, designed to publicly blame the CCP for the global pandemic. Legal experts caution that the case could set a precedent, potentially exposing the United States to lawsuits in foreign tribunals.

Despite these concerns, Attorney General Bailey remains steadfast. “This case is about justice for Missouri and accountability for those who allowed this virus to spread,” he said.

The trial, taking place in federal district court in Cape Girardeau, marks a significant moment in international legal disputes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.