Chinese Brands Drop Kylian Mbappe After Video References Mao Zedong

Major Chinese companies severed commercial ties with French football star Kylian Mbappe on Tuesday after an online video showed him appearing to make light of former leader Mao Zedong.

Beverage giant Dongpeng and dairy producer Mengniu announced immediate cancellations of their endorsement contracts with the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward.

The swift corporate withdrawals followed a public outcry on Chinese social media platforms regarding the unverified footage.

Jokes concerning Mao remain a profound social taboo in China, where the founding leader is officially revered despite policies that caused widespread famine and historical trauma.

In the circulating clip, Mbappe stated that the funniest internet meme he had encountered involved his face superimposed on that of a Chinese dictator.

The remark was widely interpreted as a reference to satirical images depicting the footballer as Mao.

Dongpeng officials stated that their organization maintained strict standards regarding public commentary.

"Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments," said Dongpeng in a statement.

Mengniu issued a similar declaration regarding the termination of its marketing agreements with the France captain.

"Mengniu firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people," said the company.

The controversy expanded beyond commercial sponsorships as state media reports indicated potential disruptions to football broadcasts.

State-run outlet The Paper reported that national broadcaster CCTV suspended broadcasts of matches from Spain's La Liga.

China's foreign ministry acknowledged public awareness of the dispute during a regular briefing.

"Words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with unanimous rejection from all sectors of Chinese society," said ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.

Representatives for Mbappe and the media outlet where the interview originated did not immediately issue public responses to the controversy.

Industry analysts are monitoring whether additional international sponsors will reevaluate their relationships with the athlete as public scrutiny intensifies.