China ordered to pay $24 billion for PPE hoarding

A Missouri court has ordered China to pay $24 billion for hoarding personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. The judge found that China misled the public about the virus while stockpiling PPE, violating anti-monopoly laws. The lawsuit, filed in 2020, claimed that China's actions led to increased costs and significant tax revenue losses for Missouri. The state reported spending over $122 million more on PPE due to China's hoarding. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey stated that the ruling is a significant step in holding China accountable. He plans to enforce the judgment by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including farmland in Missouri.