Australia PM stands firm on need for virus inquiry

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said his country's push for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, which China has furiously rejected, was "completely unremarkable".

Morrison told reporters in Canberra that Australia would stand its ground on the issue.

"We are standing our ground on our values and the things that we know are always important", Morrison said.

He called on China to respect Australia's values and national interests.

"We draw very clear lines about things that are very important to us, as does the Chinese government, and we respect their lines, as we expect our lines to be respected", Morrison said.

China has suspended beef imports from four abattoirs and plans to impose tariffs on Australian barley, after warning the inquiry could harm two-way trade ties.