China's claims 'ludicrous': Frydenberg

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says China’s latest criticisms of Australia are “ludicrous” amid a deepening diplomatic stoush over a probe into the origins of COVID-19. Australia’s call for a review into the origins of the coronavirus has been met with significant backlash from Beijing, which has threatened to boycott the nation’s education, tourism, and export sectors in retaliation. The stoush has further strained the relationship which was already in the deep freeze over the Turnbull Government’s decision to ban Huawei from the 5G rollout. Mr Frydenberg reaffirmed Australia would not “bow down” to China’s threat. "The reality is Australia thinks it’s prudent and sensible for there to be an independent and transparent investigation into the origins of this global pandemic that has killed thousands and thousands of people across the world,” he told Sky News. "We won’t bow to economic coercion, we will continue to talk up in Australia’s national interest and we won’t trade off health outcomes for economic outcomes.”