A Missouri court has ruled that China must pay $24 billion in damages after finding that the Chinese Communist Party hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE) and disrupted global supply chains at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling follows a lawsuit first filed in 2020 by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.
The lawsuit accused China of blocking PPE exports, taking control of factories, and restricting supply to drive up prices. Missouri argued that these actions forced the state to pay excessive amounts for essential medical equipment while also harming its economy.
Hey China,
You owe Missouri $24 BILLION.
I just won a judgment in court.
Pay up — or we start seizing assets and farmland.
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) March 7, 2025
Judge Stephen Limbaugh, Jr., ruled that Missouri had demonstrated that China’s interference in PPE markets caused serious financial losses. The court found that Missouri had to spend an additional $122 million on medical supplies and also suffered $8 billion in lost tax revenue due to economic disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Bailey has made it clear that Missouri intends to collect the full judgment, stating that the state will seize Chinese-owned land and other assets within its borders if China refuses to pay. With China declining to send legal representation to fight the case, the ruling was issued by default.
$24 Billion DOLLARS, not Yaun. https://t.co/nDbj4sMRHe
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) March 8, 2025
Missouri is the only U.S. state to successfully sue China over the pandemic. The ruling could encourage other states to consider legal action against China for economic damages related to COVID-19.
The case had already seen an early ruling in Missouri’s favor in the Eighth Circuit Court. The next step will be enforcing the judgment and determining how Missouri will recover the damages awarded by the court.
