Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would allow the US president to impose broad sanctions on China if Beijing does not give a full account of the events that led to the outbreak of coronavirus, Reuters reported.

Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said he was convinced that had it not been for “deception” by China’s ruling Communist Party, the virus would not be in the US, where it has killed more than 80,000 Americans.

According to Graham, China refused to allow investigators to study how the outbreak began.

“I’m convinced China will never cooperate with a serious investigation unless they are made to do so.”

According to him, the “COVID-19 Accountability Act” would require the president to make a certification to Congress within 60 days that China had “provided a full and complete accounting to any COVID-19 investigation led by the United States, its allies or U.N. affiliate such as the World Health Organization.” 

The law will give the US president the power to impose sanctions - including freezing assets, a ban on entry, canceling visas, and restricting lending to Chinese companies by US institutions and a ban on listing on US exchanges for Chinese companies.