On his Chinese name Kevin Rudd smiled: 'Kevin' sounds like 'Kewen', yet I've not 'overcome' Chinese literature

(ECNS) -- On October 11, during the 2026 Tongzhou Global Development Forum hosted by Renmin University of China, Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister, explained why he was given his Chinese name in an interview with News Lounge of China News Network.

Rudd said that his Chinese name was given by his teacher, who built it on transliteration, while hoping he would master Chinese literature.

He joked, "I haven't 'overcome' Chinese literature yet." (Tang Yuxian, Xing Yi)