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PM confuses China with Tasmania

AAP

AAP

It’s hard to confuse Tasmania and China, but the prime minister has managed just that – in the presence of the Chinese leader to boot.

Tony Abbott was toasting Xi Jinping at a special dinner at parliament house on Monday when he made the gaffe.

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He was summing up the day’s developments after the two nations reached agreement on a free trade deal and a speech by Mr Xi to parliament, when he appeared to confuse the island state with the Asian nation.

“To mark President Xi’s visit, Australia and Tasmania and, and – we’ve said a lot about Tasmania – Australia and China have reached agreements.

“It’s hard to confuse Tasmania and China – but I have,” Mr Abbott said, jokingly shrugging off the error.

President Xi is due to visit Hobart on Tuesday, after which he will have been to every Australian state and territory.

Mr Abbott also used the dinner to praise the president’s “remarkable” speech in parliament.

Never had he heard a Chinese leader declare that his country would be fully democratic by 2050.

“When I listened to the president today, some of the shadows over our region and over our world lifted and the sun did indeed shine brightly,” Mr Abbott said, citing an Australian proverb.

“I thank you, Mr President, for this historic, historic statement which I hope will echo right around the world.”

Mr Xi returned the love, saying he’s felt right at home on his latest visit.

China stood as one of Australia’s best friends in the region – but the key to maintaining that was with “political trust”.

“We need to put one’s self into the other’s shoes and look at each other’s intention from the other side’s standpoint of view,” Mr Xi said.

-AAP

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