Several Chinese brands have dropped French footballer Kylian Mbappé as backlash grew online over alleged comments by him referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Mbappé reportedly told French talk show The Bridge that his "favourite meme" is "the one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator". As he speaks, a meme appears with his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao.
"That really makes me laugh. I use it with my friends all the time," the Real Madrid forward adds in unverified clips that have been circulating online. Mbappé does not identify Mao by name and the original video is no longer on the show's YouTube channel, but screengrabs have spread on Chinese social media.
Even China's foreign ministry has weighed in, with spokesperso Lin Jian: "We have noted the relevant reports. Words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society." Neither Mbappé nor the The Bridge have commented on this yet. It's unclear when the interview was broadcast but Chinese football forum Dongqiudi drew attention to the comments on Monday night in a statement, saying they were "inappropriate" and "hurt the feelings of Chinese people".
A backlash quickly ensued online, with some users criticising Mbappé – who is hugely popular in China and has big endorsements - of "profiting from the Chinese market yet making remarks that offend the Chinese public". "International public figures, in particular, should show greater respect and sensitivity, as national sentiment must never be taken lightly," read another comment on Weibo. Mao founded Communist China in 1949 and ruled through tumultuous decades in the 1960s and 1970s.
His attempt at rapid industrialisation, which he called the Great Leap Forward, led to a famine that killed tens of millions. Then came the Cultural Revolution: a violent purge of anyone seen as a threat to Communism, which included Chinese intellectuals, landowners, artists and often rivals within the Party. His death in 1976 brought a new era for China, which began to open its doors to the global economy.
Even as the country moved away from Mao's rule, he continued to be hailed by the Chinese Communist Party as a national icon whose legacy was beyond reproach. Given how Mao is regarded to this day in China, the may seem unsurprising to many. The backlash is still growing.
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