China Calls on American Officials to Resign After Hawley Introduces Bill to Strip Them of Sovereign Immunity

Earlier today, Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Justice for Victims of COVID-19 Act that “would strip China of its immunity in US courts against the Chinese Communist Party and create a private right of action for silencing whistleblowers and withholding critical information about” the Coronavirus.

Today I’m announcing legislation to hold China accountable. My bill would strip China of its immunity in US courts and create a private right of action against the Chinese Communist Party for silencing whistleblowers & withholding critical information about COVID19.

Today I’m announcing legislation to hold #China accountable. My bill would strip China of its immunity in US courts and create a private right of action against the Chinese Communist Party for silencing whistleblowers & withholding critical information about #COVID19

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 14, 2020

Hawley then shared a tweet from Chief Washington Correspondent of China Daily and Deputy Editor of China Daily USA, Chen Weihua. Weihua’s tweet is a retweet of a video from Ribiao Chen, who is the Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the Hague.

Chen asked in the original video tweet, “Who is liar? Who is spreading Disinformation? COVIDー19”

Weihua says in his tweet, “US Senators Tom Cotton and Josh Hawley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proved major source of disinformation.”

The video calls for Hawley, Cotton, Pompeo, and Peter Navarro to resign. In his share of the tweet, Hawley called it a “government-made video spewing lies.”

Hawley: And on cue, the China Communist Party is demanding I resign, with a government-made video spewing lies. Why so afraid of the truth?

Weihua: US Senators Tom Cotton and Josh Hawley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proved major source of disinformation. Video clip truly revealing.

And on cue, the #China Communist Party is demanding I resign, with a government-made video spewing lies. Why so afraid of the truth? https://t.co/6C6HHrmhK7 https://t.co/EI4qAWWhKo

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 14, 2020

Chen: Who is liar? Who is spreading Disinformation? COVIDー19

Who is liar? Who is spreading #Disinformation ?#COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/ql5xIMXnxO

— Ribiao Chen (@RibiaoC) April 14, 2020

According to the press release for the bill, it would make the Chinese government liable for civil claims in U.S. courts by creating a private right of action against the Chinese government for any reckless action it took that caused the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, such as its decisions to withhold information and to gag doctors.

Additionally, it would strip the Chinese government of sovereign immunity for these actions so that plaintiffs can sue and allow courts to freeze Chinese government assets so victims can enforce their claims, establish the Justice for Victims of COVID-19 Task Force at the State Department to lead an international investigation to determine how Beijing’s decisions to distort and conceal information about the COVID-19 outbreak, including by using the World Health Organization to parrot its lies, caused this global pandemic and lead an international effort to secure compensation from the Chinese government, including by preparing options to compel Beijing to provide restitution, if at first, it resists international demands for the same.

Hawley appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show last night on Fox News and said that China sees this as a “geostrategic opportunity. They want to be the dominant world power.” He believes that “it’s time to go all in on America.”