Chinese sports brands seek global play

FUZHOU - In the Chinese city of Quanzhou, East China's Fujian province, workers at a garment factory of Kelme are busy stitching and ironing the white and blue jerseys of the Spanish football club Espanyol.

Their goal is to meet the soaring domestic demand boosted by Wu Lei, a Chinese striker who joined the club a month ago. Wu made history by becoming the first Chinese player to score in a La Liga match on March 2, sending his fans into a frenzy.

"Over the last month, we have sold over 10,000 Wu Lei jerseys," said Ke Yongyuan, president of Kelme (China), who owns the Yuanxiang garment company in the sportswear manufacturing hub.

Prior to Wu's debut in Europe, Yuanxiang acquired 80 percent of Kelme's shares and became the controlling shareholder of the renowned international brand. Yuanxiang's expansion offers a glimpse into Chinese manufacturers' endeavor of going global.

"We manage the international brand with a Chinese 'engine'," said Ke, adding that Wu's takeoff in Spain is a "happy surprise" as his sparkling performance draws increasing worldwide attention.

Kelme, founded in 1963, is the official sponsor of a number of Spanish La Liga clubs such as Espanyol and Real Valladolid. In its heyday in the 1990s, Kelme was the sponsor of Real Madrid, one of the world's most successful football clubs.