Kylian Mbappé’s China crisis shows how sensitive Mao’s legacy remains
Several major Chinese companies have ended their partnerships with Kylian Mbappé after he joked about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Key points
- He missed out on joining the elite roster of Ballon d’Or winners, and instead became the latest high-profile addition to a far less illustrious list – that of foreign brands and individuals charged with “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”.
- Mbappé has apologised, citing "a deep respect for the Chinese people and their history".
Real Madrid forward was dropped by brands for comments Chinese media generally steered clear of outlining It’s been a bad start to the week for the France forward Kylian Mbappé.
The saga began when a video of the Real Madrid player making light of a meme involving him and China’s former leader Mao Zedong began spreading.
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