Foreign Minister Marise Payne has slapped down a threat from Beijing that Australia's call for a global independent review into the coronavirus pandemic would result in a Chinese consumer boycott of students and tourists and a downturn in exports.

In an interview with The Australian Financial Review, the Chinese ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye labelled Prime Minister Scott Morrison's push for an inquiry as "dangerous" and predicted it would fail to gain support among global leaders.

Marise Payne says Canberra rejects Beijing's suggestion that there would be a Chinese boycott of Australia. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Cheng also refused to confirm that the virus had started in a Wuhan wet market, in a sign Beijing is ramping up its propaganda campaign into the origin of the virus.

He warned the Morrison government that its pursuit of a global review into the COVID-19 pandemic could spark a Chinese consumer boycott of students and tourists visiting Australia, as well as sales of popular agricultural exports like wine and beef.