The President of the United States is confident that this complaint will not be the last.
U.S. President Donald Trump has become interested in the Missouri lawsuit against China filed in connection with the spread of the new coronavirus and is going to study the text of this complaint. The American leader confirmed it Wednesday at a briefing for journalists at the White House.
Trump was asked if he supports the lawsuit filed on Tuesday by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. “I have not seen this lawsuit. He filed a lawsuit against China. I love Missouri, as you know. I’m gonna take a look at this [court case]. I don’t really know much about it, I need to look at it,” said the head of the American administration.
“I haven’t seen the suit – I mean, I haven’t read it, but I’m on it”, – Trump said.
Then he was asked if he favored a certain “international investigation” of the circumstances of the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus, as well as China’s steps.
“We are conducting investigations. We are conducting our own investigations”, – replied the White House head. In conclusion, he reiterated that he would be familiar with the Missouri lawsuit. In addition, Trump expressed the view that such lawsuits would continue to be filed in U.S. courts. – “But I want to take a look at this lawsuit and study it. I’m sure it won’t be the last one”, – said the president.
Missouri authorities claim that the Chinese government has withheld information about the spread of the new coronavirus. Schmitt is demanding through the state court that Missouri compensate for the economic damage caused by the pandemic. Missouri was the first American state to file a lawsuit against China. A number of local experts predict that the suit is likely to be dismissed, as U.S. law grants immunity to the authorities of other countries in administrative and criminal proceedings that are conducted in the U.S. territory. Similar lawsuits against China have been filed earlier in the US and by individuals trying to obtain a total of trillions of dollars in compensation from the Beijing authorities.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gen Shuang described the Missouri lawsuit as a mockery of the proceedings. He assured that “these so-called charges have no factual or real basis.