Maverick politician Clive Palmer has launched a stunning tirade against Australia’s largest trading partner, labelling the Chinese government ‘mongrels’ and ‘bastards’.

The Palmer United Party leader accused the Chinese government of trying to steal Australia’s national resources and ‘take over the country’ on ABC’s Q&A program last night.

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“I’m saying that because they’re communist, because they shoot their own people, they haven’t got a justice system and they want to take over this country,” he said.

The show’s audience and panel was visibly shocked as Mr Palmer said he was happy “standing up against the Chinese bastards and stopping them from doing it”.

The mining magnate is currently involved in a legal battle with Chinese state-owned company CITIC Pacific, which has accused Mr Palmer of misusing $12 million in funds.

Mr Palmer has denied that he misused the money to fund his party’s election campaign.

Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce told the ABC that the comments were “not helpful”.

“The emotive and colourful language is not the way that you do business,” said Mr Joyce on ABC News Breakfast.

“They’re damaging because they’re representative of our nation.”

“We want to do business with China, we want to trade with China.”

Just read Clive Palmer’s comments on China from #qanda – what on earth is he thinking? Coalition and ALP breathing much easier today.

— Tony Brown (@tonybrownOvum) August 18, 2014

Where is the outrage over the hateful and racist comments about China and the Chinese by @CliveFPalmer made on @QandA last night? #qanda

— Margaret Jolly (@MJollyConsult) August 18, 2014