Remarks about Mao Zedong: China responds to Mbappé’s apology without lifting boycott

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in Beijing on Wednesday, October 28, that China took Kylian Mbappé’s apology seriously, but did not announce that measures against the player would be lifted. Mbappé apologized in French, Chinese and English after a remark on the show The Bridge, where he referred to Mao Zedong as a “Chinese dictator” while commenting on a meme. He acknowledged that his comment was ill-advised and had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world, while saying he had not intended to offend anyone.