Kevin Rudd’s diplomatic orgasm

Funny story from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s early days in the foreign service:

Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat and self-avowed Sinophile, told students at the Australian National University about an error he made as a junior envoy in Beijing.

“Apparently, what I’d said as I sought to elevate his expression into a more classical form, was that China and Australia are currently experiencing fantastic mutual orgasm,” he said, delivering a speech late Thursday.

“Ever since then, our Chinese friends have remembered my visits to Beijing, (saying) ‘Ah, you were the one…’,” added Rudd.

“Perhaps that explains some of the challenges in our current relationship with the Chinese.”

Chinese-Australian relations have been somewhat less than orgasmic lately.