Real Madrid apologised to China after state broadcaster CCTV rejected its initial defence of Kylian Mbappe’s remarks about Mao Zedong. Kylian Mbappé’s diplomatic row with China has intensified after the country’s state broadcaster rejected various apologies for the footballer’s “ill-judged” remarks about Mao Tse-tung. China Media Group (CMG) - the state-owned media arm - insists Mbappe has 'hurt the Chinese people' after making a joke about a joke about chairman Mao Zedong.