China responds to Kylian Mbappe apology after Mao Zedong outrage

China's Foreign Ministry said it "takes seriously" Mbappe's apology after he faced backlash and sponsorship losses over comments about Mao Zedong made during a March podcast.

Kylian Mbappe apologised on Tuesday after facing significant backlash in China over comments he made during a March podcast appearance on French talk show 'The Bridge'. In behind-the-scenes footage, the Real Madrid player referred to Mao Zedong as "some guy - I think he's a Chinese dictator" while describing a meme with his face photoshopped onto the late leader's image.

The comments triggered swift consequences: Chinese dairy producer Mengniu, cheesemaker Shanghai Milground Food Tech, and drinks company Eastroc Beverage all terminated sponsorship deals with Mbappe, citing "zero tolerance" policies toward words or behaviour that offend Chinese people. Chinese broadcasters also suspended coverage of Mbappe and La Liga.

On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to Mbappe's multilingual apology, saying the government "takes seriously" his statement. However, the spokesperson did not elaborate further, and it remains unclear whether China will restore La Liga broadcasting rights.