A Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, acknowledged Beijing’s place on Tuesday after a video that includes the French soccer star circulated on-line.
“Any rhetoric or action that hurts the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be rejected across the sectors in China,” Guo stated.
A French speak present had requested Mbappé about his favorite meme of himself. “A video someone made of a guy; I think he was a Chinese dictator,” he replied.
The clip, which triggered the controversy, reveals a doctored picture of Mbappé’s face on the physique of Mao Zedong, the founding chief of Communist China.
Dairy large Mengniu, beverage maker Dongpeng, and cheese maker Milkground have all terminated their sponsorship agreements with Mbappé.
The Real Madrid star apologised in an announcement on Tuesday, saying he now understands that his “ill-judged” remark harm many individuals in China and in Chinese communities worldwide.
“I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention,” Mbappé wrote. “I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
