3 Chinese Brands Cut Ties With Mbappé After Comment

Three major Chinese companies ended their sponsorships of soccer player Kylian Mbappé on Tuesday. Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground each issued statements saying they oppose any words or actions that hurt national feelings. The companies did not specify which comment triggered the decision.

The action followed the circulation of a clip on X showing Mbappé responding to a question about his favorite meme of himself. In the video, he describes it as a video of a person he believes was a Chinese dictator. The clip then displays an image placing Mbappé's face on Mao Zedong's body.

Mbappé issued a statement apologizing for the remarks. "My comment was misjudged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world," he said. He added that he has deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

China's Football Association said it lodged a strong protest with Real Madrid and demanded a formal public apology from the player and the club. China Media Group reported that it has suspended broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches and other games involving Mbappé. It also removed advertisements featuring him and called for an apology.

The controversy follows a 2019 incident in which Chinese state television stopped broadcasting NBA games after then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted a message on X supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, said that words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally face opposition from all sectors of Chinese society. The social media platform RedNote said its content partnership with Mbappé ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would remove related promotional materials. Mbappé's RedNote account was blocked from accepting new followers on Tuesday.

The Spanish La Liga said it regrets the offense caused to Chinese fans and stated that Mbappé's comments were personal and do not represent the league. The league said it will create an awareness and communication protocol for its players and clubs while working with stakeholders in China to prevent future incidents.

Mao Zedong led the Communist Party, won a civil war against the Nationalists, and founded the People's Republic of China. He remains respected by many, though his rule included campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward, an industrialization effort that led to a famine estimated to have killed 30 million people. On Weibo, topics about the brand terminations and fan boycotts topped the trending list.