CANBERRA, KOMPAS.com – Prime Minister Australia Scott Morrison on Saturday (26/9/2020) said that the countries of the world should make every effort to understand the origin Covid-19.
The comments were considered to worsen Australia’s relations with China which previously heated up due to racial issues and the pandemic.
Launch Asia Nikkei, speak up before United Nations General Assembly, Morrison said that the investigation into origins corona virus will minimize the threat of another global pandemic.
“This virus has caused disaster for the world and its people. We must do everything we can to understand what happened so that something similar does not happen again,” Morrison said via video teleconference.
“There is a clear mandate to identify the origin of the zoonotic disease Covid-19 and how it can be transmitted to humans,” he added.
Morrison’s remarks were similar to those he made earlier in the year, straining relations between Australia and China.
Earlier in the year, Morrison led a global demand to investigate the origins of Covid-19. China has firmly rejected the move, with China’s Ambassador to Canberra warning that a call for an investigation would damage trade relations.
Since then, China implemented trade sanctions to Australia. China suspended several beef imports which technically and effectively blocked trade worth US $ 439 million by imposing tariffs of 80.5 percent on Australian imports.
Also read: 2 Foreign Journalists Escape, China Accuses Australian Embassy of Obstructing Investigation
China also launches anti-dumping against Australian wine imports.
Meanwhile, Australia also asked all countries to share the Covid-19 vaccine if anyone develops it.
Australia earlier this year signed a vaccine agreement with AstraZeneca, with the first batch scheduled for delivery in January 2021 if trials prove successful.
Australia has also promised to share vaccine supplies with smaller Pacific Island countries.
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