XINHUA: Premier Wen Jiabao and Australian PM Kevin Rudd on the Phone

Maybe it's the tone slip-ups that add amusing surrealist moments to the most inane conversations. More likely it's simply novelty value, but either way, oreigners who speak Chinese - from the "knee how"s right through to the old China hands - have a certain automatic charisma in China.

Kevin "Lu Kewen" Rudd is popular among the common folk here. Given they know nothing of any of his policies - he has none anyway - his popularity is the kind of that has been forbidden fruit to the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party since Mao's personality cult. So being seen and associated with "Lu Kewen" as much as possible might help fill the gap left by the Chinese leaders' self-imposed charisma embargo. Crackpot theory? Sure, but why on earth was the text below the #2 story on the front page of Xinhua today?

And if you find yourself wondering if Kevin really said the paraphrased words attributed to him in the third para, i assure you that he did. In fact, they probably didn't need to be paraphrased, as Kevin's Chinese is all "steadfast"s and "facilitate"s and "promote"s; it's made for Xinhua.

PREMIER WEN JIABAO AND AUSTRALIAN PM "LU KEWEN" ON THE PHONE

Xinhua Beijing, October 10.

State Department Premier Wen Jiabao held a telephone conversation with Australian PM Kevin Rudd ("Lu Kewen") on the 6th, with both sides exchanging views on Sino-Australian relations as well as the international financial crisis, climate change and other problems.

Wen Jiabao positively appraised the progress made by the two countries in mutually benefitcial cooperation, and indicated that China was keen to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Australia and the international community in response to the many current complicated global challenges, and jointly advance world harmony and continued development.

"Lu Kewen" lauded the Chinese side's positive actions and clear stance in response to the international financial crisis. He said the international community needed to strengthen cooperation, establish robust institutions and ensure the international financial system's transparency and consistency. The Australian side wanted to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with the Chinese side in this and every other bilateral area.

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ORIGINAL LINK 温家宝总理与澳大利亚总理陆克文通电话