Australia says Covid-19 inquiry is "reasonable", not targeted at any country
[SYDNEY] Australia's calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 is "reasonable" and not targeted at any specific country, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.
Australian-Chinese bilateral relations have soured in recent weeks after Mr Morrison called for the inquiry into the origins of novel coronavirus.
Mr Morrison insisted his call was not an attempt to criticise China, and while Canberra's largest trading partner may feel slighted - Australia would continue to press for the review.
The novel coronavirus is believed to have originated in China late last year and has infected more than 3 million people worldwide.
"What Australia is pursuing is not targeted," Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
"This is a virus that has taken more than 200,000 lives across the world. It has shut down the global economy. The implications and impacts of this are extraordinary. Now, it would seem entirely reasonable and sensible that the world would want to have an independent assessment."
GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
REUTERS
KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
Oil prices steady after Iran plays down reported Israeli attack
G7 pledges swift aid for Ukraine, seeks to calm Middle East
H5N1 strain of bird flu found in milk: WHO
China moves to boost foreign investment in domestic tech companies
Xi orders China’s biggest military reorganisation since 2015
Warner Bros CEO earned US$49.7 million in strike-impacted year