Key facts
- Dongpeng and Mengniu terminated cooperation with Kylian Mbappe.
- The brands cited Mbappe's apparent joke about a Mao Zedong meme.
- Jokes about Mao Zedong are considered disrespectful in China.
French soccer star Kylian Mbappe has lost at least two major Chinese sponsors after a video appeared to show him joking about a meme involving the country's former leader Mao Zedong. Drinks giant Dongpeng stated on October 27, 2026, that it was terminating all cooperation with Mbappe, citing a zero-tolerance policy towards behavior that offends national sentiments. Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, also announced the immediate termination of its cooperation with the footballer for similar reasons. The announcements followed the emergence of a video where Mbappe appeared to joke about a meme of his face superimposed on an image of Mao Zedong, a figure considered highly sensitive in China. The authenticity of the video could not be immediately verified. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.