The government of China issued a rare public apology today, expressing “deep regret” for having accidentally expressed in a state press release that WWE legend John Cena is a “great rapper.” 

Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared on state-run media to apologize for saying, during a recent meeting of the United Nations, that Cena’s debut album Da Bomb (2005) was “shūqíng hé jiézòu liúchàng de qiǎomiào zuòpǐn” (translation: a work of lyrical genius and strong rhythmic flow). 

President Xi walked back his previous praise of Cena’s freestyle rapping ability, explaining through an interpreter that he had “made a mistake” and was “truly sorry if anyone needlessly listened to John Cena rapping.” 

The Chinese government blamed the confusion Cena himself, who recently made sociopolitical blunders by calling Taiwan a country, and calling Liechtenstein a unitary democracy under a parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy.

China’s official stance on John Cena is, according to a press release issued by the Chinese Ministry of Propaganda, that he does not even exist because he cannot be seen.