It wasn’t just him saying that. I once went on a forum for a journal article, and there were two camps of biologists - those speaking about the similar sections, and those refuting the claims. I noticed that most of the refutations came from scientists with Chinese sounding names. I realize that this is just anecdotal, and you can choose to believe me or not. But that’s what I saw.

You may still be able to find it on Google.

Also, from the first para of his Wiki page:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montagnier promoted the conspiracy theory that SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus, was deliberately created and escaped from a laboratory. Such a claim has been refuted by other virologists.[6][7][8][9] He has been criticised by other academics for using his Nobel prize status to "spread dangerous health messages outside his field of knowledge".[10]

Looks like he’s been at least partially vindicated.