Missouri seeks to seize Chinese assets for lawsuit judgment

Missouri's attorney general plans to seize Chinese assets in the U.S. to collect a $24.5 billion judgment from a lawsuit related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This follows a recent ruling that sided with Missouri's claim against China for hoarding protective equipment. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the U.S. court's ruling, stating it does not recognize the judgment and calling the lawsuit "absurd." Experts express skepticism about Missouri's ability to collect the award, citing potential complications in international relations. The lawsuit, initially dismissed in 2022, was allowed to proceed on appeal. Missouri's attorney general aims to identify Chinese-owned assets, including farmland, to enforce the judgment, but experts doubt the feasibility of this approach.