This most recent embarrassing revelation comes on top of a series of embarrassing incidents last year that have exposed both a breakdown in bilateral relations and the short-comings of Australia’s diplomacy with China.

This comes on top of an admission last week by senior Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade official, Mr Graham Fletcher, in the Senate Estimates hearings for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (DFAT) that “there were a number of irritants in the relationship” and that the general relationship between China and Australia in 2009 was “challenging.”

The Chair of the Senate References Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Senator Russell Trood, said today. “On one hand, we have a Prime Minister who proclaims himself as a China and foreign policy expert who has managed to leverage a ‘special relationship’ with China.”

“On the other hand, this very same Prime Minister then proceeds to defame the Chinese Government when things don’t go his way. The result will be to jeopardise the bilateral relationship.” said Senator Trood.

This most recent incident underscores the fact that the Rudd Government has a long way to go before it can provide Australians with convincing evidence of its ability to advance and protect Australia’s national interests successfully.

No doubt DFAT officials will have to do a lot of explaining to their Chinese counterparts.