China Media Group (CMG), the parent entity of state broadcaster CCTV, has called on Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé, and La Liga to take practical steps to make amends for the controversy sparked by the French forward’s remarks.
The response came via a representative of the group following the publication of Mbappé’s apology, in a statement carried by the sports platform Dongqiudi, ensuring that the fallout from the incident persists despite moves taken by the player and the Spanish league.
“We listen to his words, but we watch his actions even more,” the group’s representative stated, confirming that the Chinese entity had reviewed the details surrounding the public apology offered by the Real Madrid star.
The statement added that CMG expects La Liga, Real Madrid, and Mbappé to draw the necessary lessons from what occurred, offer a sincere apology, and rectify previous mistakes—extending its stance to encompass the club and the league alongside the player.
Chinese reports had previously disclosed that CCTV suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches and content associated with Mbappé, alongside pulling his advertisements, following the viral spread of his comments regarding a meme placing his face onto the body of a figure he described as a “Chinese dictator.”
The clip was widely linked to a circulated image of Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China, before major Chinese companies announced the termination of their commercial partnerships with the Frenchman, amid expanding measures to remove or restrict content featuring him.
In his apology, Mbappé acknowledged that his comment was misguided and had offended people in China and Chinese communities globally, asserting that he never intended to cause offense and reiterating his respect for the Chinese people and their history.
For its part, La Liga apologized on behalf of the league and its clubs, announcing direct outreach to its partners in China and the formulation of an educational protocol to promote respect for diverse cultures in coordination with players and clubs. However, the latest response from the Chinese state broadcaster firmly places the practical execution of these pledges at the center of its expectations.
