Wuhan Files US$50 Billion Lawsuit Against Missouri in Escalating Covid-19 Legal Dispute

A Chinese city at the centre of the global Covid-19 outbreak has launched a sweeping legal challenge against a US state, marking a sharp escalation in the long running blame battle over the pandemic’s origins and impact.

The municipal government of Wuhan has filed a civil lawsuit in China seeking around US$50 billion in damages from the US state of Missouri, accusing it of harming China’s reputation and economy by politicising the Covid-19 crisis. The case was lodged with the Wuhan Intermediate People’s Court and was confirmed this week by Missouri’s attorney general, who said her office was notified of the filing last week.

Wuhan is joined in the lawsuit by two prominent scientific institutions, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Together, the three plaintiffs argue that Missouri and its officials used the pandemic to unfairly stigmatise China and push unproven claims about the virus’s origins, causing reputational damage and economic losses.

Named as defendants are the State of Missouri itself, represented by Governor Mike Kehoe, along with two former senior legal officials. They include Eric Schmitt, Missouri’s former attorney general who is now a US senator, and Andrew Bailey, who previously held a top legal post in the state and now serves as a co deputy director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, the Chinese plaintiffs accuse the US defendants of deliberately politicising the pandemic, manipulating scientific discussions around origin tracing, and spreading allegations that China covered up early information about the virus and stockpiled personal protective equipment. They argue these claims contributed to discrimination against China and distorted the global response to the health crisis.

The lawsuit is widely seen as a direct response to legal action taken by Missouri five years ago. In that earlier case, then attorney general Eric Schmitt sued China, the Chinese Communist Party, several central government ministries, and the Hubei provincial government. Missouri’s lawsuit accused China of mishandling the early outbreak and sought compensation for economic losses suffered by the state.

Chinese officials and institutions have consistently rejected those accusations, calling them politically motivated and lacking scientific basis. By filing this new case, the Wuhan government and its co plaintiffs appear to be engaging in a tit for tat legal strategy, aiming to push back against what they see as years of one sided blame.

Legal experts note that the case is largely symbolic, given the complexities of enforcing judgments across borders and issues of sovereign immunity. However, its political significance is harder to ignore. The move underscores how unresolved grievances from the pandemic continue to shape relations between China and parts of the United States.

The timing is also notable, as both countries remain locked in broader tensions over trade, technology, and security. The lawsuit adds another layer to an already strained relationship, highlighting how Covid-19 has left a deep and lasting imprint not only on public health systems but also on global politics and legal discourse.

For Wuhan, a city that became synonymous with the pandemic’s early days, the case represents an attempt to challenge narratives that officials believe have unfairly defined its role in a global tragedy. For Missouri, it signals that legal actions taken during the height of the crisis may continue to echo long after the emergency phase has passed.