Top Chinese diplomat says Australia's call for coronavirus inquiry was 'shocking'

Wang Xining tells National Press Club that Australia was supposed to be a good friend of China'

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A senior Chinese diplomat has pushed back at claims of rising interference in Australian politics while calling on both countries to take steps to repair the rift in the relationship.

Wang Xining, the deputy head of mission of China's embassy in Australia, argued diplomatic channels between the two countries remained open but there were some shadows" over the relationship so we need to make our position much more clear in order to remove the shadows".