Chinese Brands Cut Ties With Kylian Mbappé Over 'Chinese Dictator' Remark

Beverage maker Dongpeng and dairy giant Mengniu terminated agreements with Kylian Mbappé after he referred to a meme of himself as a 'Chinese dictator.'

Beverage manufacturer Dongpeng, dairy company Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground announced on Tuesday the termination of their endorsement agreements with Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé. The companies issued statements opposing "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment" following the circulation of a video clip on X. In the footage, which was recorded ahead of an appearance on the French talk show "The Bridge," Mbappé identified his favorite meme of himself as one depicting his face on the body of a "Chinese dictator," referring to an image of founding leader Mao Zedong.

LaLiga issued a formal apology on Tuesday, stating the league "deeply regrets the offense caused" and clarified that the comments were made in a personal capacity. The league confirmed it is working with institutional partners in China to address the situation and will implement a communication protocol for clubs and players to promote cultural respect. Social media platform RedNote also distanced itself from the player, noting that while their content partnership ended on Dec. 31, 2024, they would remove all related promotional materials.

Mbappé previously appeared in various Chinese advertising campaigns, including a Dongpeng commercial where he spoke a slogan in Chinese and a Mengniu advertisement alongside Lionel Messi. Following the remarks, hashtags regarding the end of these partnerships and calls for a boycott topped the trending lists on the social media platform Weibo. Representatives for the France international were not immediately available for comment.