By Emily Crane and Freya Noble China has issued a bizarre denial of comments made by Julie Bishop to a Fairfax journalist, which prompted a tabloid attack on Australia's Foreign Minister. China's The Global Times newspaper called Ms Bishop a 'complete fool' after she told Fairfax last week that Australia had to 'manage for the worst' when dealing with China. But, perhaps in an attempt at smoothing diplomatic relations, China's foreign ministry has denied Ms Bishop ever said that - despite the Sydney Morning Herald publishing excerpts from the interview to prove it. In a statement released by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei, China said Ms Bishop never made the remarks and 'the Australian side has clarified that with the Chinese side through diplomatic channel'.
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A Chinese tabloid used a Beijing colloquialism to call Julie Bishop a fool
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The Foreign Minister had pledged to stand up for Australian values and to 'manage for the worst' when dealing with China
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The Global Times said Ms Bishop was more like the 'angry youths' found in the Chinese cyber sphere than a diplomat
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They now deny Bishop said the comments
Australia's history of human rights was also targeted in the original @placeholder article, who described the country as a place once 'roamed by rascals and outlaws' that would soon adjust to the shifting realities of power.