The backlash in China over a meme involving soccer star Kylian Mbappé and the country's former dictator Mao Zedong has been met with criticism from a survivor of the Cultural Revolution. Xi Van Fleet, a Chinese-American author and anti-communist activist, argued that the reaction is disproportionate and that most Chinese citizens are unaware of the specifics of Mbappé's actions.
"Most of the people in China have no idea what Mbappé said," Van Fleet stated on Fox Business. "They were told that he insulted China. You have no freedom of speech, you have no freedom of press, you don't know what really happened. You just do what the government tells you to do."
Mbappé, a star player for Real Madrid, is known by the nickname "The Dictator." The controversy began after he laughed at a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao Zedong during a French talk show. This incident led to swift consequences, including the termination of sponsorship deals and the suspension of La Liga broadcasts by state-run CCTV.
La Liga issued an apology, followed by Mbappé himself, and then Real Madrid. The club initially suggested that Mbappé's "personal expression" would not impact commercial ties in China, but CCTV demanded a formal apology, which Real Madrid subsequently provided.
Van Fleet, who experienced Mao's rule firsthand, called the former leader a "tyrant" and a "mass murderer," asserting that labeling him a dictator is insufficient. She recounted that many individuals died during Mao's era. "Calling him a dictator is not even appropriate," she said. "He is a tyrant, and he is a mass murderer."
Van Fleet expressed frustration with the rapid apologies from Mbappé and the involved organizations. She advised Mbappé to stand by his actions, stating, "The truth will set you free; know who Mao was and then you should stand by what you said."