Wuhan Court Hears Defamation Case Against Missouri Seeking 356.4 Billion Yuan
WUHAN — A Chinese court has started hearing a defamation case filed by the Wuhan municipal government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Wuhan Institute of Virology against the U.S. state of Missouri and several of its current and former attorneys general, Reuters reported on November 4. According to a notice published by the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court on November 2, a public hearing was held on October 30 and the proceedings are continuing; no judgment has been issued.
The plaintiffs accuse Missouri, former Attorneys General Eric Schmitt, now a U.S. senator, and Andrew Bailey, and current Attorney General Catherine Hanaway of orchestrating, promoting and carrying out malicious litigation and of fabricating and disseminating false information related to the coronavirus pandemic, damaging the plaintiffs' reputation. They are seeking an end to the alleged infringement, a public apology, restoration of their reputation and compensation; the South China Morning Post reported the claim totals 356.44 billion yuan (about $53.5 billion). Hanaway was added as a defendant in December 2025 at the plaintiffs' request, and it was not immediately clear whether Missouri participated in the hearing.
The case stems from Missouri's first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court in April 2020, which accused Chinese parties of concealing early information about the virus and hoarding protective equipment. In March 2025, U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. entered a default judgment of about $24.5 billion against the Chinese defendants after they did not appear. Hanaway's office referred that judgment to the U.S. State Department in November 2025 for service on China through diplomatic channels.
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于杰斐逊城的密苏里州议会大厦。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 / Photo: The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).