China 'takes seriously' Mbappe apology after Mao Zedong comments cost him sponsors

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it ‘takes seriously’ Kylian Mbappe’s public apology after the Real Madrid forward’s remarks about Mao Zedong triggered a wave of sponsor withdrawals and broadcast suspensions across the country.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed the government’s position when asked directly about the apology, but declined to elaborate further. It remains unclear whether China will reverse its decision to halt La Liga coverage on domestic television — a move that has broader implications for the Spanish league’s presence in one of football’s largest markets.

Mbappe issued his apology on Tuesday via X, writing in three languages: ‘During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.’

The controversy stems from a video clip from French talk show The Bridge, posted on Monday, in which Mbappe described a meme featuring his face photoshopped onto Mao’s, calling the late Chinese leader ‘some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator.’ The footage was filmed behind the scenes of a podcast recorded in March and has since been removed from the show’s social media accounts. The programme’s producers also issued an apology to both Chinese fans and Mbappe.

The fallout was swift and significant. China’s largest dairy producer, Mengniu, announced it was ending its partnership with Mbappe, as did cheesemaker Shanghai Milground Food Tech and drinks giant Eastroc Beverage. All three cited a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards words or behaviour that ‘offend the feelings of the Chinese public.’

Before the apology was issued, a separate Foreign Ministry spokesperson had warned that ‘words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.’

Mao Zedong remains a deeply sensitive figure in China, where parodies or criticism of political leaders — particularly the founding chairman — have historically drawn swift official and public backlash. In a notable precedent, state broadcaster CCTV suspended TV presenter Bi Fujian in April 2015 after a leaked private video showed him mocking Mao during a dinner.