Australia also wants to see long-term reform of the World Health Organisation – which has been criticised for being pro-China – including giving it weapons inspector-like powers so it can investigate outbreaks.

Mr Morrison has broached the issue in conversations with a number of leaders, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

UK, French and European Union officials have indicated their priority is fighting the pandemic, which has been much more serious in the northern hemisphere, but have agreed there is a need for lessons to be learnt.

Mr Cheng, in his first comments on the COVID-19 crisis, said there would come a time for every country to look back and see how they could be better equipped to fight a future pandemic.

"No country is perfect with dealing with such a serious epidemic," he said.

But Mr Cheng said China disagreed with Mr Morrison's campaign for an international inquiry because it was "politically motivated" and it would detract from efforts to fight the virus.

"It's a kind of pandering to the assertions that are made by some forces in Washington," he said. "Over a certain period of time, some guys are attempting to blame China for their problems and deflect the attention.

"So what is being done by the Australia side? The proposition is a kind of teaming up with those forces in Washington and to launch a kind of political campaign against China."


Asked why he thought Australia was acting at the behest of the US when Mr Morrison has publicly said he would still be pursuing an inquiry if the pandemic had broken out in other countries, Mr Cheng cited "inflammatory" comments in the media by politicians.

With relations between Canberra and Beijing at a low ebb for much of the past three years, Mr Cheng said Mr Morrison's push for an inquiry had been ill-received by Chinese people and risked economic repercussions.

Mr Cheng would not be drawn on whether iron ore, coal or gas exports

would be affected by anti-Australian sentiment but indicated consumer

products could be vulnerable.

"The Chinese public is frustrated, dismayed and disappointed with what Australia is doing now," he said.

"I think in the long term... if the mood is going from bad to worse, people would think 'Why should we go to such a country that is not so friendly to China? The tourists may have second thoughts.

"The parents of the students would also think whether this place which they found is not so friendly, even hostile, whether this is the best place to send their kids here.

"It is up to the people to decide. Maybe the ordinary people will say 'Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?'"


Mr Cheng did not repeat the conspiracy theory pushed last month by the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the virus was brought into Wuhan by a US soldier but maintained there was no proof it crossed over from animals to humans in one of the country's "wet markets".

"Some politicians here claim the virus originated in Wuhan, China, which is not the case. The fact that the epidemic first broke out in China... does not mean the source of the virus originated in China," he said.

"The source of the virus is complex and I think a serious scientific issue that should be addressed by professionals, scientists, medical experts.

"Pending any clear findings about the whereabouts of the virus, it's inappropriate for non-professionals to jump to any conclusions."

Pressed to explain where he thought the virus originated, especially given that is an issue an independent inquiry could determine, Mr Cheng said it was something scientists would need to work out.

"It's none of the business of the politicians and policymakers," he said.

Mr Cheng said selling wild animals at markets was illegal in China and authorities had cracked down on the practice.

Mr Cheng said China was satisfied with indications both privately and publicly that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's changes requiring all foreign investment proposals to be examined by the Foreign Investment Review Board would be temporary and not targeted at any country.


"I think those indications and remarks are important. Important for Australia and important for other countries," he said.

"We expect the Australia side will continue to provide the necessary and fair and non-discriminatory treatment to Chinese companies who have an interest to invest here in accordance with our bilateral free trade agreement."

But Mr Cheng said he was unaware of any discussions being held with the Australian government over relaxing restrictions for business travel between China and Australia, following reports of talks with neighbouring countries about allowing healthy travellers to easily cross borders.