Name: China 'owes us': Growing outrage over Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic
Brand: cnbc.com
SKU: cnbc-com-378
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

China 'owes us': Growing outrage over Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic

preview

Key PointsA growing chorus of voices around the world is calling for to compensate&nbsp;for the damages incurred due to the global pandemic.Just this week, Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Chinese government over its handling of the outbreak, saying China's response led to devastating economic losses for the state.The coronavirus outbreak was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. It has since spread to over 180 countries and territories, killing more than 190,000 people around the world, data from Johns Hopkins University showed. The number of reported cases globally has exceeded 2.7 million.&nbsp;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."The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, , and did little to stop the spread of the disease," Schmitt, a Republican, said in a statement. "They must be held accountable for their actions."Other lawsuits have been filed in U.S. courts on behalf of business owners, including a seeking reparations from the Chinese government for coronavirus-related damages on behalf of thousands of people.It is possible that – had accurate information have been provided at an early juncture – the infection would not have left China.Henry Jackson SocietyChina rejects those claims.The lawsuit from Missouri "has no factual or legal basis" and "it only invites ridicule," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday, according to an of a regular press briefing.Geng said the Chinese government "has been nothing but open, transparent and responsible" in informing the World Health Organization, relevant countries and the U.S. about the pandemic and related information."Such (a) lawsuit is nothing short of frivolous litigation which defies the basic theory of the law," said Geng.International law experts have said that China is protected broadly under the U.S. ."Based on&nbsp;the principle of sovereign equality&nbsp;prescribed by international law,&nbsp;US courts have no jurisdiction over the sovereign actions taken by Chinese governments of all levels in response to the epidemic," said Geng.The lawsuit from Missouri was not the first call for compensation from&nbsp;&nbsp;— and it may not be the last.A British conservative think tank, the Henry Jackson Society, argued in a that China is bound by international law to report crucial public health information in a timely, accurate and detailed manner. However, it "failed in its obligations to do this" through December and January in the early stages of the outbreak, the report said."It is possible that — had accurate information have been provided at an early juncture — the infection would not have left China," the group said."The Chinese government's negligence has cost the G7 at least £3.2 trillion ($4 trillion) — and the wider world a presently incalculable sum," the think tank said, referring to the Group of Seven countries.State-backed media in China, which provides a reflection&nbsp;of the government's thinking, fought back on the claims for compensation."Before asking China to cover the losses incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK should consider how much it owes China and the world for its colonial activity," in early April citing Chinese social media users' response to the Henry Jackson report.The nationalist newspaper even that those blaming China are "selling their soul."In the country's largest newspaper by circulation, Bild, tallied up losses totaling 149 billion euros ($160 billion) in entitled "What China already owes us."The Chinese embassy in Germany to the newspaper's editor in an open letter, saying that the paper was fueling nationalism, prejudice and hostility against China.&nbsp;lawmakers have also called for compensation — and the &nbsp;to those comments, calling them "malicious slanders" and "false allegations."Elsewhere, the London-based&nbsp;International Council of Jurists and All India Bar Association also filed to the United Nations Human Rights Council seeking compensation from China.The Henry Jackson Society said China could be taken to the International Court of Justice or the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.But going to the ICJ also comes with hurdles.For instance, there has been talk about using a dispute settlement mechanism under International Health Regulations, but&nbsp;the "mechanism provides for arbitration only in the event that China consents, which, needless to say, is very unlikely,"&nbsp;a lawyer at Foley Hoag who advises and represents countries, said in the&nbsp;European Journal of International Law&nbsp;blog.

Key PointsA growing chorus of voices around the world is calling for to compensate&nbsp;for the damages incurred due to the global pandemic.Just this week, Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Chinese government over its handling of the outbreak, saying China's response led to devastating economic losses for the state.The coronavirus outbreak was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. It has since spread to over 180 countries and territories, killing more than 190,000 people around the world, data from Johns Hopkins University showed. The number of...

China 'owes us': Growing outrage over Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS