No talks unless an apology is made first: China's state broadcaster responds to LaLiga president amid Mbappé's erroneous remarks

China Media Group (CMG), China's state broadcaster, took countermeasures on Monday in response to seriously erroneous remarks concerning China by Kylian Mbappé, a Real Madrid player in Spain's LaLiga, ordering the suspension of broadcasts of LaLiga matches, all games featuring Mbappé, and advertisements endorsing the player, CMG said.

The head of CMG also sent a letter to LaLiga chief Javier Tebas, calling on Real Madrid and Mbappé to issue a prompt and sincere public apology, address the negative impact of the incident, and submit a written apology to CMG.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas replied on Tuesday afternoon, condemning Mbappé's conduct and offering an apology, CMG reported.

"I want to express our immediate and clear condemnation of the conduct of player Kylian Mbappé. This is unacceptable behavior and does not represent the values of our games or Spanish football. We understand the outrage this incident has sparked in China and sincerely apologize for the offense caused," Tebas said, according to the CMG.

Earlier on Tuesday, multiple Chinese brands severed ties with the French player, while platforms removed content related to him. The Chinese public called for a formal and sincere apology from Mbappé, pushing the hashtag to the top of Sina Weibo's trending-search list.

In the reply letter, Tebas added that "I wish to personally convey our respect to the Chinese people, together with our firm commitment to the relationship built over many years. We are taking appropriate measures to handle this situation with the utmost seriousness and will keep you updated on the actions we take," per the CMG

After receiving Tebas' letter, CMG responded swiftly, making clear that no talks could take place unless an apology was issued first. In a reply letter signed by the head of CMG, the broadcaster stated that LaLiga, Real Madrid CF and, in particular, Mbappé himself must issue a public apology as soon as possible, describing this as a basic prerequisite.