🚨🚨BREAKING Emmanuel Macron breaks his silence on the Mbappé vs China controversy.
“Let me make one thing very clear. France has absolutely no reason to panic because a meme has offended people in China. Kylian Mbappé laughed at jokes about himself, and somehow, this has become an international controversy. Are we serious right now?
I have more important matters to deal with than explaining to people why a French footballer is allowed to laugh at memes about his own life. Mbappé has represented France on the biggest stages in world football, and I will not watch him being treated like a criminal for something this ridiculous.
If the Chinese government or anyone else wants to take this matter a step further, then France is prepared to respond accordingly. We will not be pressured into apologising simply because people have decided to take a joke personally. Respect must work both ways.
Let me also make this clear: France will not allow anyone to dictate how our citizens should speak, think or react. You cannot spend years mocking someone and then become offended when that same person laughs along with the jokes.
If they want to turn a meme into a diplomatic issue, that is their choice. But France has no intention of making this bigger than it needs to be. Mbappé has my support, and we have far more important things to worry about than internet memes.”
🇫🇷France stands with Mbappé!