China's foreign minister says virus lawsuits 'illegal'

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said any lawsuits brought against China over the COVID-19 have zero factual basis in law or international precedence.

Wang told reporters at a news conference that China was a victim of the global pandemic alongside other countries and had reached out to assist other governments in need.

"To our regret, in addition to the raging of the new coronavirus, a political virus is also spreading in the US which is to take every chance to attack and discredit China," Wang said.

Some US politicians, heedless of basic facts, have fabricated too many lies and plotted too many conspiracies, Wang said.

Raising such lawsuits tramples on the international rule of law and abandons the human conscience. It's untrue, unjustifiable and illegal, Wang said.

Those who would bring such litigation against China are living in a daydream and will humiliate themselves, Wang said.