Daily Times

As the coronavirus pandemic ravages nations worldwide, resulting in unprecedented human death and economic destruction, calls are rising for China to take legal and financial responsibility for a health crisis that by all accounts originated on its shores.

With more than 180,000 lives lost worldwide and the global economy teetering on the edge of a once-in-a-century depression, China now faces the prospect of multiple lawsuits filed by federal states, regional governments and aggrieved individuals.

United States Senator Tom Cotton is now pushing for a bill that would allow American “victims” of the virus to sue and seek reparations from the Chinese government through US courts.

Moreover, Missouri’s lawsuit was filed in a federal court this week by state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, alleging negligence on China’s part. The complaint said Missouri and its residents have lost possibly tens of billions of dollars, and it seeks cash compensation.

Other lawsuits have been filed in U.S. courts on behalf of business owners, including a class-action lawsuit in Florida seeking reparations from the Chinese government for coronavirus-related damages on behalf of thousands of people.

With more than 47,000 fatalities and 26 million workers forced into virus-caused unemployment, the US is now the epicenter of a growing global anti-China movement spurred by Beijing’s perceived lack of Covid-19 related transparency and unwillingness to accept responsibility as the pandemic’s origin.

Experts believe that neither set of arguments is likely to succeed. The “commercial activity exception” will apply only if China’s actions related to the coronavirus had a “direct effect” in the United States