[Karah Rucker]

MISSOURI VERSUS CHINA – A CASE GOING TO TRIAL IN FEDERAL COURT MONDAY.

THE STATE IS SUING CHINA FOR 25 BILLION DOLLARS –

ACCUSING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OF HOARDING “PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT” DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

MISSOURI’S ATTORNEY GENERAL FILED THE LAWSUIT –

AND SAYS ITS A CHANCE TO “HOLD CHINA ACCOUNTABLE” FOR ITS ROLE IN THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

CRITICS OF THE SUIT ARGUE IT COULD SET A NEW PRECEDENT –

ALLOWING THE U.S. TO BE SUED IN CHINESE COURTS.

THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CCP WAS FILED BACK IN 2020 – WITH THE STATE A-G “ANDREW BAILEY” ARGUING CHINA COVERED UP VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIRUS – AND WAS HOARDING P-P-E SUPPLIES LIKE MASKS AND VENTILATORS – IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

BAILEY’S OFFICE SAYING CHINA “THWARTED THE PRODUCTION, PURCHASING, AND IMPORT AND EXPORT OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES.”

AS A RESULT – BAILEY SAYS CHINA’S ACTIONS CAUSED “WIDESPREAD HARM” TO THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI.

THE CASE HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF LEGAL TWISTS.

THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISMISSED THE CASE – SAYING THE DEFENDANT – CHINA – WAS IMMUNE UNDER THE 1976 “FOREIGN SOVEREIGHN IMMUNITIES ACT” –

WHICH GENERALLY PREVENTS FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS FROM PROSECUTION IN **U.S. COURTS.

BUT THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS – REVIVED A PORTION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CASE AGAINST CHINA.

THE THREE JUDGE PANEL RULED MISSOURI CAN’T GO AFTER CHINA ON THE BASIS OF COVERING UP COVID DATA AND INFO –

BUT THE STATE **COULD PROCEED WITH ITS CLAIMS THAT THE CCP HOARDED PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

THE APPEALS COURT RULED THAT FALLS UNDER AN “ANTITRUST CLAIM” RELATED TO COMMERCIAL BUSINESS – AND ALLOWED THE CASE TO PROCEED.

THAT TAKES US TO TODAY –

WITH TRIAL GETTING UNDERWAY THIS AFTERNOON.

BUT THE DEFENDANTS – ARE EXPECTED TO BE A NO SHOW ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS.

THE CCP HAS LONG DISMISSED THE MISSOURI SUIT AND OTHERS LIKE IT AS QUOTE “VERY ABSURD” SAYING IT HAS NO FACTUAL OR LEGAL BASIS – AND THREATENING THE U.S. WITH SIMILAR LEGAL ACTIONS.

THE CCP SENT A NOTICE TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR REGARDING STATE CASES AGAINST CHINA.

SAYING IT “…does not accept and will not participate in such lawsuits…[i]f the U.S. side allows the frivolous lawsuits to proceed, the Chinese side reserves the right to take reciprocal countermeasures.” –

STRIPPING THE UNITED STATES’ IMMUNITY IN CHINESE COURTS.

IF THE CCP HAS NO REPRESENTATIVE IN MISSOURI COURT TODAY –

THAT WOULD MEAN NO CROSS-EXAMINATION OR REBUTTALS FROM CHINA IN THE CASE.

THE EPOCH TIMES REPORTED THAT COULD MAKE A DEFAULT JUDGMENT IN MISSOURI’S FAVOR EASIER TO ACHIEVE.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS – AND MISSOURI SEEKS THE TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGES – FURTHER TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA COULD ENFLAME.

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