姆巴佩涉毛泽东表情包争议发酵，东鹏饮料与蒙牛相继宣布终止合作

Two Chinese consumer brands cut ties with French soccer star Kylian Mbappé over comments deemed insulting to founding father Mao Zedong, the latest example of foreign celebrities and companies running afoul of political sensitivities in the world’s second-biggest economy.

Eastroc Beverage Group Co. on Tuesday ended all cooperation with Mbappé, saying it had “zero tolerance” for actions that hurt national sentiment. China Mengniu Dairy Co., one of the country’s largest dairy producers and an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, also cut ties with the Real Madrid forward.

The controversy erupted after Mbappé was asked in a video which internet meme featuring himself had made him laugh the most. He described one involving a video of a man he said he thought was “a Chinese dictator,” with his own face superimposed on the figure. Mbappé said he frequently used the meme with friends while gaming online.

He didn’t identify the person in the meme. Taiwanese media outlet ETtoday reported that the image depicted Mao. Images circulating online also appeared to show Mbappé’s face superimposed on Mao.

Neither Eastroc or Mengniu specified what prompted their decisions or referred to Mao in their statements.

The comments swiftly triggered criticism from nationalist users on Chinese social media, with some accusing Mbappé of insulting China and calling for a boycott. Prominent soccer outlet Dongqiudi said it wouldn’t provide a translation of his remarks as they were “hurtful to China and the Chinese people.”

Shares of Eastroc fell as much as 4.1% in Shanghai, while Mengniu was down around 3% in Hong Kong.

Mbappé has a sizable following in China, with more than 1 million followers on each of his official Weibo and Xiaohongshu accounts, which remained active as of Tuesday. His commercial ties in the country have included serving as a global brand ambassador for Mengniu and fronting campaigns for Eastroc’s electrolyte drinks. He has also endorsed Milkground, one of China’s biggest cheese brands, which is controlled by Mengniu.

The episode highlights the commercial risks international celebrities and brands can face when they collide with nationalist sentiment in China, where online controversies over perceived slights have repeatedly prompted sponsors and business partners to sever ties.

The National Basketball Association has worked to rebuild its brand in mainland China after a years-long fallout triggered by a social-media post supporting Hong Kong protesters in 2019 from Daryl Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets. Foreign companies including Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB and sportswear giant Nike Inc. have also faced consumer boycotts over comments on Xinjiang.