Missouri will soon be able to seize Chinese-owned assets following a historic $24 billion COVID-19 judgment against China.
By Sarah Motter
Published: Nov. 19, 2025 at 9:03 PM CST
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Missouri will soon be able to seize Chinese-owned assets following a historic $24 billion COVID-19 judgment against China.
Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced on Wednesday, Nov. 19, that her office completed the required legal procedure to enforce the judgment against foreign governments.
This clears the way for the Show-Me State to target Chinese farmland and real estate in Missouri.
Hanaway says her office mailed official judgment packets to the U.S. District Court Clerk in Cape Girardeau. The clerk will forward these documents to the U.S. State Department.
The Department will then serve six Chinese entities, including the People’s Republic of China and the governments of Hubei Province and Wuhan City.
“Now that the statutorily-mandated period has passed, we are moving full speed ahead to secure this judgment for the people of Missouri,” the AG said. “China caused extraordinary harm to our citizens and our economy. We are committed to holding them accountable and recovering every dollar we can, starting with Chinese-owned assets, including farmland.”
The move stems from a lawsuit alleging China hoarded personal protective equipment during the early months of the pandemic, harming Missouri and its residents.
A federal court entered the judgment in March 2025 after it ruled that Missouri prove China “caused and exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic” through its actions and cover-up.
Hanaway notes that the judgment represents the largest ever issued against a foreign government in Missouri’s history and one of the largest against any foreign nation.
Once the State Department confirms diplomatic service, Missouri will return to federal court to obtain certification that all legal requirements have been met.
The certification will authorize the Missouri AG’s Office to begin to seize Chinese-owned assets in Missouri. This includes real property and farmland, financial assets and other holdings.
According to the AG, the service packets include the judgment, Mandarin translations and all materials required under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
Federal law requires states to wait a “reasonable period of time” after a judgment is entered before they begin enforcement against foreign governments.
With that waiting period now over, Hanaway says Missouri can proceed with collection efforts. The case, State of Missouri v. People’s Republic of China et al., was filed in 2020.
“This judgment belongs to the people of Missouri,” Hanaway said. “They deserve accountability, they deserve answers, and they deserve recovery. My Office will not stop until this judgment is enforced.”
The Attorney General’s Office has not specified how recovered funds would be distributed or used to benefit Missourians."
https://www.kctv5.com/2025/11/20/missouri-moves-seize-chinese-assets-historic-24-billion-covid-judgment/?outputType=amp
20
Message Thread
