In a groundbreaking legal battle, Missouri has won a $24 billion lawsuit against China for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and other Chinese entities of misleading the world about the virus, hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE), and obstructing the global response.
The case, first filed in April 2020 by Missouri’s then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt, faced years of legal challenges before culminating in a default judgment by U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. in March 2025. The ruling is historic, marking the first time a U.S. court has held China financially responsible for the pandemic’s economic devastation.
But despite Missouri’s victory, the battle is far from over. The state now faces the difficult challenge of collecting the $24 billion judgment, a task that China has vowed to resist.
The Lawsuit: Missouri’s Claims Against China
Missouri’s lawsuit alleged that China deliberately concealed the true nature of COVID-19, allowing the virus to spread globally while secretly hoarding life-saving medical supplies. The legal complaint outlined several key accusations, including:
- Suppressing critical information about COVID-19’s contagious nature and human-to-human transmission.
- Silencing whistleblowers who tried to warn the world about the virus.
- Engaging in a campaign of deceit to downplay the severity of the outbreak.
- Hoovering up global supplies of PPE while preventing exports from China-based factories, many of which were American-owned.
- Causing tens of billions of dollars in economic damages to Missouri through business closures, lost tax revenue, and skyrocketing PPE costs.
“The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease,” Schmitt said in a statement when the lawsuit was first filed. “They must be held accountable for their actions.”
Missouri’s legal team also argued that China’s actions violated state and federal anti-monopoly laws, artificially inflating the cost of PPE and forcing the state to pay millions more for necessary medical equipment.
Legal Hurdles: Overcoming Sovereign Immunity
From the outset, legal experts doubted Missouri’s ability to sue China due to sovereign immunity, a legal doctrine that shields foreign governments from lawsuits in U.S. courts.
“A legal doctrine called sovereign immunity offers foreign governments broad protection from being sued in U.S. courts,” explained Tom Ginsburg, an international law professor at the University of Chicago. He added that such lawsuits are often more about political messaging than achieving legal results.
In fact, Judge Limbaugh initially dismissed the case in 2022, citing sovereign immunity. However, in January 2024, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals revived part of the lawsuit, specifically the claim regarding PPE hoarding.
This opened the door for Missouri’s legal team, led by current Attorney General Andrew Bailey, to prove that China’s actions caused direct economic harm to the state.
The Court Ruling: China Loses by Default
The final ruling came down on March 7, 2025, when Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. found China liable for $24,488,825,457 in damages, plus interest at 3.91% annually.
Missouri’s victory was largely due to China’s refusal to participate in the case. Rather than sending government representatives, China relied on proxy organizations like the Chinese Society of Private International Law to challenge Missouri’s claims.
Bailey was quick to criticize China’s refusal to appear in court.
“We will not allow the CCP to manipulate the legal process to evade justice—our mission is to fight for the truth and recover damages for the people of Missouri,” he said.
Judge Limbaugh agreed with Missouri’s claims, writing in his ruling that “Plaintiff has submitted into the record substantial evidence” that China knowingly worsened the pandemic through its actions.
The court also found that Missouri spent over $122 million more than it otherwise would have on PPE due to China’s hoarding, while suffering a tax revenue loss of more than $8 billion.
How Will Missouri Collect the $24 Billion?
Winning the lawsuit is one thing, but forcing China to pay is another challenge entirely. With China vowing not to recognize the court’s decision, Missouri will have to pursue alternative means of collecting the judgment.
Attorney General Bailey has already outlined his plan: seizing Chinese-owned assets in Missouri.
“This is a landmark victory for Missouri and the United States in the fight to hold China accountable for unleashing COVID-19 on the world,” Bailey said. “China refused to show up to court, but that doesn’t mean they get away with causing untold suffering and economic devastation. We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including Missouri farmland.”
Missouri is home to tens of thousands of acres of Chinese-owned farmland. In 2023, the Missouri Department of Agriculture reported that Chinese individuals and companies owned 42,596 acres of land in the state. The latest figures for 2024 are expected to be released soon.
Bailey has stated that Missouri will work with the Trump administration to identify additional Chinese-owned assets that can be seized.
Political and International Reactions
U.S. Politicians Weigh In
The ruling has sparked strong reactions from U.S. political leaders.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) called the judgment a major step toward accountability, stating:
“This case proves that China’s lies and economic manipulation had real consequences. Missouri is leading the fight to hold them accountable.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump—who is expected to play a role in helping Missouri seize assets—has vowed to support the state’s efforts.
“If I were still in office, China would already be paying,” Trump said in a statement. “We will make sure Missouri gets what it’s owed.”
Some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers, however, have warned that the ruling could escalate tensions with China, leading to economic retaliation or legal battles over seized assets.
China’s Response: Defiance and Condemnation
The Chinese government has rejected the ruling outright, calling it a political stunt designed to blame China for U.S. failures in handling the pandemic.
- The Chinese Foreign Ministry has declared the lawsuit “absurd”, warning that any attempt to seize Chinese assets would be met with severe retaliation.
- The Chinese Embassy in Washington called the ruling a violation of international law, stating, “China will not recognize or comply with this judgment.”
- Chinese state media accused Missouri of attempting to steal foreign-owned property under false pretenses.
What Comes Next?
Missouri’s legal victory marks a historic moment in the global debate over COVID-19 accountability. But the real battle—enforcing the $24 billion judgment—has just begun.
- Missouri is preparing to seize Chinese-owned farmland and other assets to collect on the ruling.
- China is expected to resist any seizures, potentially launching legal and diplomatic countermeasures.
- If the federal government supports Missouri’s efforts, tensions between the U.S. and China could escalate.
For now, Missouri has set a precedent by winning the first major U.S. lawsuit against China over COVID-19. Whether it turns into a financial windfall or a prolonged political standoff remains to be seen.
