Australian MP apologizes to Chinese over 'mongrel' slur

Australian billionaire and politician Clive Palmer has apologized to China's ambassador to Australia for referring to the Chinese as "bastards" and "mongrels" in a media interview.

According to the China Daily, Palmer issued an apology after Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned his comments aired on the ABC television program QandA.

Palmer wrote that he was sincerely apologetic for any insult to the Chinese people caused by any of the language he used during his appearance on the show.

He further acknowledged that his comments on QandA was an insult to Chinese people everywhere and said that he wished to assure them that they had his most genuine and sincere apology.

Meanwhile, on receiving Palmer's apology, Chinese Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu said that any remarks attacking or slandering China would not gain popular support and were doomed to fail.

Zhaoxu added that the healthy and stable relationship that China and Australia shared was in the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, and could not be hindered by any individual, the report said.