Beijing:China has stated that it takes French football star Kylian Mbappe's apology seriously, following his comments about a meme portraying him as former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed reporters, emphasizing that China considers Mbappe's apology with importance.

Mbappe issued an apology on Tuesday, acknowledging that his comments were "ill-judged" and had offended individuals in China and Chinese communities globally. He expressed remorse, stating, "I apologize to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry."

The controversy arose after a video circulated showing Mbappe mentioning his favorite meme as one depicting him as Mao Zedong, which he found humorous enough to share with friends. The remark led to significant backlash in China.

As a result of the incident, several Chinese companies, including Dongpeng Beverage Group, Mengniu, one of China's leading dairy producers, and cheese producer Milkground, terminated their partnerships with Mbappe. Additionally, China Media Group (CMG), which manages the Chinese public broadcaster CCTV, halted broadcasts of La Liga matches and advertisements featuring Mbappe.