China defends brands’ withdrawal of sponsorship deals With Mbappé
Beijing’s Foreign Ministry expressed its disapproval on Tuesday following the circulation of a video featuring French football star Kylian Mbappé. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized that rhetoric or actions perceived as detrimental to the feelings of the Chinese people will be met with rejection across various sectors in China.
The controversy arose from an appearance on a French talk show in which Mbappé was asked about his favorite meme. He referenced a video that depicted him, stating, “A video someone made of a guy; I think he was a Chinese dictator.” The clip includes an altered image of Mbappé’s face superimposed on a body representing Mao Zedong, the founder of Communist China.
In light of the backlash, several companies, including dairy manufacturer Mengniu, beverage producer Dongpeng, and cheese maker Milkground, have ended their sponsorship agreements with the athlete.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mbappé expressed regret for his remarks, acknowledging that they were “ill-judged” and had caused offense to many individuals in China and among Chinese communities worldwide.
“I apologize to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention,” Mbappé stated. “I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
