More than 1.1 million Americans died from COVID-19 — a figure higher than any war in U.S. history. Millions of families were denied the final moments with loved ones, watching parents, spouses and children slip away behind hospital walls. It was a tragedy compounded not only by the virus itself, but by deception, denial and silence from Beijing.
Mounting evidence, including assessments from the FBI and CIA, now suggests that the novel coronavirus leaked from a Chinese laboratory. The Chinese Communist Party destroyed samples, silenced whistleblowers, and denied international investigators access. In the early days of the outbreak, the party even restricted exports of vital personal protective equipment, including masks and gowns, leaving American doctors and nurses unprotected. Hundreds died on the front lines. Had it not been for Taiwan’s timely donation of millions of masks to U.S. states, the toll would have been far worse.
The economic cost is also staggering. Based on the productivity of an average U.S. worker, the lives lost represent an estimated $770 billion in GDP — an incalculable loss of national value and human potential.
Some states, including Missouri, have already pursued lawsuits against China, seeking damages for negligence and cover-ups. These efforts highlight a crucial question: If states can demand accountability, why not the federal government?
Now back in office, President Trump has the opportunity — and the obligation — to lead. Congress should act swiftly to amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to remove protection for governments that deliberately conceal global health threats. Simultaneously, the administration can identify Chinese state-owned assets within U.S. jurisdiction and begin lawful seizure proceedings.
Even more boldly, the Treasury Department and the Department of Justice should explore legal paths to freeze or cancel a portion of the more than $800 billion in U.S. Treasury securities held by China. This isn’t just about justice. It’s about easing America’s debt burden and reaffirming the principle that there are consequences for state-level malfeasance.
Critics will claim this endangers the dollar. But the greater threat is moral capitulation. If the U.S. cannot hold the world’s second-largest economy accountable for unleashing a global pandemic, what future crisis will go unanswered?
Americans are still mourning. Now is the time for Trump to step forward and show leadership — and justice.
Vincent C. Chen is a former leader of Taiwan’s Wild Lily student movement for democracy and is an executive in the information and communications industry.
