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Mbappé and China: When Outrage Outruns Information
· 6:16 · With Maya, Alex, and Emma
With me are Alex, our reporter, and Emma, our columnist. We’re asking how a video of Kylian Mbappé led to a public backlash in China, while many users were still asking what he…
Transcript
Vocabulary in this episode
backlash
We’re asking how a video of Kylian Mbappé led to a public backlash in China, while many users were still asking what he had said.
A strong negative public reaction to something.
backlash
The backlash brought public statements, company decisions and a reported change to football broadcasts.
A strong negative public reaction to the clip.
backstage interview
The clip came from a backstage interview with the French-language talk show The Bridge.
An interview recorded behind the scenes, away from the main public event.
indirectly
Others referred to Mao indirectly, as “the person on the 100-yuan note” or “the teacher.”
Without saying Mao’s name directly.
virtual private network
YouTube, Instagram and Reddit are blocked in mainland China, and users generally cannot reach them without a virtual private network, or VPN.
A service that sends an internet connection through another route, which can help users reach blocked sites.
zero tolerance
Dongpeng said it had zero tolerance for conduct that hurt national feelings.
It said it would not accept any conduct of that kind.
in a personal capacity
La Liga said the remarks were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the league.
The remarks were his own, not statements made on behalf of the league.
settle the dispute
Emma, what might make an apology difficult to settle the dispute when people cannot easily share the original context?
To end the disagreement.
diaspora
The BBC reported a different reaction among some Chinese people outside China, including members of the diaspora and dissidents.
People from China, and their descendants, who live in other countries.
