What is the common link between Kylian Mbappe and “Hello Kitty”?.. They both angered China

- What is the common link between the French football star, Kylian Mbappe, and the Japanese company that owns the “Hello Kitty” character? Until recently, there was no significant link. But now, they both found themselves in an unenviable position; They caused anger among the masses and consumers in China, forcing them to issue quick apologies and try to contain the crisis, with huge financial interests at stake.

This is not the first time something like this has happened; Foreign brands and prominent figures - from athletes to fashion houses - have faced similar embarrassments in recent years. However, the succession of these apologies and retractions this week highlights how difficult it is to do business in China. Crossing a “red line” - according to the prevailing perspective there - means that people will not forgive or forget easily.

The story began when Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid striker, appeared in a video clip published by a French talk show, talking about a satirical image (meme) that had been digitally modified, in which his face was placed on the body of “someone - I think it is a Chinese dictator.” That “man” was the former Chinese leader, Mao Zedong, who - despite his turbulent rule that saw tens of millions die as a result of disastrous policies - is still revered as the father of the People’s Republic of China.

Half a century after his death, this complex legacy remains a highly sensitive topic within China. A passing remark made by Mbappe sparked a storm of controversy on social media in China, and its echo quickly spread to reality.

Several brands have cut their ties with him, stressing that they adopt a policy of “zero tolerance for any words or actions that affect the feelings of the Chinese people.” The official media also removed all content and advertisements featuring Mbappe - who this week came in second place in the race to win the Ballon d'Or for the best football player in the world - and stopped broadcasting all matches and events in which he participates, in addition to the Spanish League (La Liga) matches.

Faced with the possibility of worsening repercussions, Mbappe issued an official apology on Tuesday, saying: “My remark was ill-considered, and I now realize that it caused harm to many in China and among Chinese communities around the world.” For its part, the Spanish League (La Liga) and other brands associated with Mbappe sought to contain the situation, stressing the extent of their appreciation and respect for their partners in China.

Before the uproar calmed down, another one started, this time because of Sanrio, the maker of Hello Kitty. The company has teamed up with Japanese spy series Vivant to produce merchandise inspired by Sanrio characters - including Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kurome and Cinnamoroll - wearing costumes from the series.

However, Chinese state media described the series as anti-China amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, and the collaboration went viral on Chinese social media sites, where users harshly criticized the series for depicting Chinese intelligence agents torturing Japanese spies. By Thursday, Sanrio had reversed its position, saying it had “received reactions from various quarters.”

Regarding this collaboration, “We believe that it includes expressions that are inconsistent with Sanrio’s corporate values. Accordingly, we have decided to terminate this collaboration, along with all subsequent projects and promotional activities,” said a statement published on the company’s website, as well as on the Chinese social media platform “Weibo,” where a hashtag related to this apology has received more than 180 million views.

Even Chinese officials have expressed their opinion on this matter. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gu Jiaqun stated during a regular press conference on Thursday that the series “Vivant once again reveals the existence of a force within Japan that always seeks to defame and insult China through cultural products, and spread anti-China sentiment.” In both cases, Sanrio and Mbappé followed a pattern now familiar to anyone who has caused offense on Chinese social media: respectfully apologise, retract the statements, discontinue controversial products, and hope things will calm down.

The same sequence was repeated with Dolce & Gabbana in 2018, Versace in 2019, the Houston Rockets and thus with the NBA, in 2019, H&M and Nike in 2021, Bulgari in 2023, and Lululemon earlier this year. These controversial issues vary to include a variety of topics, but many of them relate to geopolitical or historical sensitivities. Such as the status of Hong Kong and Macau as partially autonomous regions within China, or the status of Taiwan, a democratic, self-governing entity that Beijing considers part of its territory.

Other issues - such as those involving Lululemon and Sanrio - have been fueled by historical hostilities between China and Japan; Anti-Japanese sentiment has escalated in China in recent years, coinciding with the deterioration of bilateral relations between the two countries. Sean Ryan, founder and managing director of the China Market Research Group, points out that foreign brands and celebrities doing business in China should be very careful; Because "the Chinese consumer is very sensitive to any abuse - or even what is perceived as abuse - or any attack targeting China and its people."

This heightened online sensitivity has coincided with the rise of extreme nationalism in recent years, along with a sharpening of China's stance in foreign policy and regional disputes. Ironically, many social media platforms in China - which are subject to strict censorship - did not explicitly report Mbappe's statements; Which led many Chinese to wonder what exactly he said to upset them and hurt their feelings.

But for many brands, taking this risk is worth it in order to reach China's huge consumer market. Sanrio in China achieved revenues amounting to $117 million in the first half of 2026 alone, according to official Chinese media.

The same applies to sports stars who rely on lucrative sponsorship contracts; Especially in a country known for its great passion for basketball, and at the same time its longing for football. Although Western sports leagues and teams cannot publicly warn their players against upsetting China - for fear of provoking a different kind of backlash - it may already be happening behind the scenes, according to sports analyst Mark Dreyer, who wrote a 2022 book about China's sporting ambitions.

“This is simply a logical business move, especially when there are multi-million dollar sponsorship contracts at stake,” Dreyer told Reuters. Some crises and controversies fade away relatively quickly, and brands are able to recover from them.

In other cases, the damage can be long-lasting – and very expensive. Years after a series of ads sparked controversy over racial issues, and one of the co-founders reportedly sent offensive private messages, the Dolce & Gabbana brand is still unwanted in China.

Likewise, after the general manager of the Houston Rockets expressed support for the pro-democracy protest movement in Hong Kong in 2019, China cut ties with the NBA and banned all of its teams from playing on its soil — despite offering profuse apologies — until they were eventually allowed to return last year. It is still unclear how long the road to recovery will take for Sanrio and Mbappé.

But Zach Deichwald, founder of Bridgeworks Global, which advises multinational enterprises, believes that "these are the risks of operating in China." He said in a statement to Reuters: “When things go well, everyone celebrates. China is the second largest economy in the world, and often represents the largest growth sector for any company or industrial sector.

“But when things go wrong, the consequences can be very painful, and the reaction can be swift and harsh.”