
French footballer Kylian Mbappé has been banned from two Chinese brands, including Dongpeng, after a video in which he appeared to joke about former leader Mao Zedong.
AI-generated summary
In China, jokes about Mao Zedong, the founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
Kylian Mbappé has been dropped by two major Chinese brands after a video circulated online in which the French football superstar appeared to joke about former leader Mao Zedong. The Guardian reports it. In China, jokes about Mao, the country's founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
“Our company firmly opposes and adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards any behavior that offends national sentiments,” drinks giant Dongpeng said in a statement, adding that “with immediate effect we terminate all collaboration with Kylian Mbappé.”
During this year's World Cup, commercials regularly aired in China showing AI-generated images of the 27-year-old France captain drinking a Dongpeng sports drink.

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