Wuhan Court Accepts Defamation Suit Against Missouri
A Chinese court has accepted a lawsuit filed by Wuhan government bodies and research institutions against the state of Missouri and two of its attorneys general.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law
The Wuhan Intermediate People's Court accepted a defamation lawsuit against the state of Missouri and two of its attorneys general, the court announced Monday on its official website. The plaintiffs, the Wuhan municipal government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, filed the case on May 7, 2025.
Why it matters
The plaintiffs allege the defendants fabricated and spread false information and made defamatory and discriminatory remarks that harmed the reputation of the Chinese government and its institutions. The case brings a U.S. state's legal actions into a Chinese court, a rare cross-border dispute for Missouri residents and state government.
The case was filed May 7, 2025, and Missouri's current attorney general was added as a co-defendant late last year. The Wuhan court has accepted the case, but no ruling has been reported and the allegations remain unadjudicated.
The players
Wuhan Institute of Virology
A Wuhan-based virology research institute that is one of the plaintiffs in the case and has been the subject of prior public scrutiny over the origins of COVID-19.
Chinese Academy of Sciences
China's national academy of sciences and a plaintiff in the lawsuit against Missouri and its attorneys general.
The details
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of orchestrating, promoting, and executing malicious lawsuits in the United States, and they demand an immediate halt to those actions, a public apology, and civil compensation. The case is being heard in Wuhan, in Hubei province, with a hearing held on Friday.
Timeline
May 7, 2025: Plaintiffs file the lawsuit in Wuhan.
Late 2025: Missouri's current attorney general is added as a co-defendant.
Friday: Hearing held in the case.
Monday: Wuhan Intermediate People's Court announces acceptance of the case.
Legal Context
This countersuit follows Missouri's 2021 lawsuit against the Chinese government over COVID-19, in which the state sought damages, and it reverses the direction of that litigation. Cross-border defamation actions of this kind are uncommon, and the case tests how a foreign court would treat claims against a U.S. state.
Missouri residents and state officials may face uncertainty about the legal exposure of state government and its officers to foreign litigation. The case does not change any state policy directly, but it could affect how Missouri defends future actions brought abroad.
The takeaway
Cross-border lawsuits between foreign governments and U.S. states remain rare and legally complex. Readers should watch for a ruling from the Wuhan court and any response from Missouri's attorney general's office.
Further reading
For more on related legal disputes, see Law coverage.
