Australia warns China against using ‘economic coercion’ to discourage coronavirus probe

Australia made a ‘principled call’ for an independent review of the Covid-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, foreign minister says

In newspaper interview, Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye says: ‘Maybe the ordinary people will say ‘Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?’’

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Cheng Jingye, China’s ambassador to Australia. Photo: EPA

Published: 5:54pm, 27 Apr 2020Updated: 9:34pm, 27 Apr 2020

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has cautioned China against attempts at “economic coercion” as Australia pushes for an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic that China opposes.

Chinese ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, said in a newspaper interview on Monday the “Chinese public” could avoid Australian products and universities.

Australia last week called for all members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support an independent review into the origins and spread of the coronavirus, and is lobbying world leaders.

China’s foreign ministry has attacked the proposal.

“Maybe the ordinary people will say ‘Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?” Cheng said in the interview published on the front page of The Australian Financial Review.

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