Lawsuits relating to virus have 'almost zero chance of success', says expert

A California senator described China as a "respectable nation" and said that "it is a huge mistake" to allow US citizens to sue China over coronavirus damage as she defended the nation in a firm speech against a bill authorizing such a move.

"Where I live, we hold China as a potential trading partner, as a country that has pulled tens of millions of people out of poverty in a short period of time, and as a country growing into a respectable nation amongst other nations," Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein told her fellow lawmakers during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday.

"I deeply believe that. I've been to China a number of times. I've studied the issues… the United States has the most to lose by permitting civil lawsuits against China for harms arising from COVID-19," she added, referring to testimony from recent committee hearings.