Defamation lawsuits against 2 US states currently being heard in Wuhan
By CAO YIN | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-11-09 17:01
A defamation lawsuit involving Chinese authorities and the state of Mississippi in the United States is being heard by a court in Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province.
On Monday, the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court announced on its official website that it accepted a lawsuit filed on Dec 19, 2025, by the Wuhan city government and the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences against the state of Mississippi and its attorney general, Lynn Fitch.
The court said it held a public hearing on Saturday, and that the legal proceedings are ongoing.
According to the court's statement, the plaintiffs allege that the defendants orchestrated, promoted, and carried out malicious litigation in the US, fabricated and spread false information, and made defamatory and discriminatory remarks. These actions, they claim, seriously infringed on the plaintiffs' reputations and caused significant losses.
The plaintiffs have demanded that the defendants immediately stop the alleged infringement, issue a public apology, and assume civil liability, including taking measures to mitigate the negative impact, restore the plaintiffs' reputations, and compensate them for their losses, the statement said.
Last week, the court disclosed that it was also hearing a separate lawsuit involving China and the US. In that case, the Wuhan municipal government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the CAS are suing the state of Missouri, two of its former attorneys general, and its current attorney general.
The plaintiffs allege that the defendants orchestrated, promoted, and pursued malicious litigation in the US, fabricated and spread false information, and made defamatory and discriminatory remarks. They are seeking an immediate halt to these actions, a public apology, and civil liability, including measures to mitigate the negative impact, restore the plaintiffs' reputations, and compensate them for their losses.
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