The Australian lawmaker had used 'abusive' statement against Chinese people
Picture used for representational purpose only. (Photo: AP)
Beijing: An Australian mining-baron-turned-lawmaker on Tuesday apologised to China for calling its people "bastards" and "mongrels", "having no system of justice" during a media interview on national television.
Rendering an unconditional apology, the 60-year-old multi-millionaire said in a written statement: "I most sincerely apologise for any insult to the Chinese people caused by any of the language I used during my appearance on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television program Q&A."
"What I said on Q&A was an insult to Chinese people everywhere and I wish to assure them they have my most genuine and sincere apology," Palmer was quoted as saying by China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
Palmer had made these comments during a nationally televised interview on August 18, creating a furore in China and kicking off protests by the Chinese expatriate community in Australia.
Condemning the remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qin Gang said, "The relevant remarks made by Clive Palmer, a member of the House of Representatives of the Australian Federal Parliament, are completely unreasonable and absurd."
Palmer, who was elected to the parliament in September last year as a lawmaker for his own Palmer United Party, is locked in a legal battle with Chinese firm Citic Pacific over cost blowouts and disputed royalty payments at an iron ore port in Cape Preston, Western Australia. Palmer lost his cool when he was asked about the case and launched his tirade against what he called the "communist Chinese government" and its attempts to take over Australia's ports.
"I don't mind standing up against the Chinese bastards and stopping them from doing it. "I am saying that because they are communist, because they shoot their own people and they haven't got a justice system," Palmer has said during the interview.
( Source : AP )
Next Story
