--- description: Australian mining tycoon and MP Clive Palmer has apologized for saying that Chinese officials were “bastards” who “shoot their own people.” title: Aussie MP Sorry For Calling Chinese Officials 'Bastards' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt94a42e405f419273/6986a0e4f983e7a79a04f60c/452168238.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Australia](/tag/australia/) ## Australia Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # An Australian MP Says Sorry for Calling Chinese Officials ‘Mongrels’ and ‘Bastards’  by [Charlie Campbell](/author/charlie-campbell/)  ## Charlie Campbell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Editor at Large Aug 26, 2014 8:53 AM CUT  Leader of the Palmer United Party Clive Palmer during Question Time at Parliament House on July 15, 2014 in Canberra, Australia. Leader of the Palmer United Party Clive Palmer during Question Time at Parliament House on July 15, 2014 in Canberra, Australia.Stefan Postles—Getty Images  by [Charlie Campbell](/author/charlie-campbell/)  ## Charlie Campbell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Editor at Large Aug 26, 2014 8:53 AM CUT Australian legislator and mining tycoon Clive Palmer has “most sincerely” apologized for a blistering attack on the Chinese government, [reports](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28923903?OCID=twitterasia "undefined") the BBC. During a live debate shown last week by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the 60-year-old billionaire — whose own Palmer United Party holds the balance of power in Australia’s Senate — [slammed Chinese officials](http://time.com/3142282/china-chinese-government-bastards-clive-palmer-australia/ "undefined") as “bastards” and “mongrels” who “shoot their own people.” “They’re communist, they shoot their own people, they haven’t got a justice system and they want to take over this country,” he said at the time. “The Chinese government wants to bring workers here to destroy our wage system … they want to take over our ports and get our resources for free … I don’t mind standing up against the Chinese bastards and stopping them from doing it.” China is Australia’s top trading partner, and Palmer’s tirade prompted a [fierce backlash](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/877094.shtml "undefined") in a state-linked Chinese newspaper, the _Global Times._ His remarks were also criticized by other Australian politicians. “Mr. Palmer’s comments are offensive, they are unnecessary, and it’s unacceptable for a Member of Parliament to make such comments, particularly on a national television program,” said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on the radio. In a letter to the Chinese ambassador revealed Tuesday, Palmer said, “I regret any hurt or anguish such comments may have caused any party and I look forward to greater peace and understanding in the future.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3180548/australia-clive-palmer-mongrels-bastards-apologizes-chinese-government-china/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3180548/australia-clive-palmer-mongrels-bastards-apologizes-chinese-government-china/"},"headline":"An Australian MP Says Sorry for Calling Chinese Officials ‘Mongrels’ and ‘Bastards’","datePublished":"2014-08-26T08:53:44.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T09:51:14.346Z","description":"And says he looks forward to \"greater peace and understanding in the future\"","url":"https://time.com/3180548/australia-clive-palmer-mongrels-bastards-apologizes-chinese-government-china/","keywords":["Australia","China","international relations"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt94a42e405f419273/6986a0e4f983e7a79a04f60c/452168238.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Charlie Campbell","jobTitle":"Editor at Large","url":"https://time.com/author/charlie-campbell/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt94a42e405f419273/6986a0e4f983e7a79a04f60c/452168238.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"House Of Representatives Question Time","caption":"House Of Representatives Question Time","creditText":"Stefan Postles—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/australia/","name":"Australia"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3180548/australia-clive-palmer-mongrels-bastards-apologizes-chinese-government-china/","name":"An Australian MP Says Sorry for Calling Chinese Officials ‘Mongrels’ and ‘Bastards’"}}]}] ```