Lossmaking Chinese sportswear brand Li Ning is making a maiden foray into wearable technology, linking up with a Xiaomi-backed start-up in an effort to revive its flagging fortunes.
处于亏损状态的中国运动服品牌李宁(Li Ning)正向可穿戴技术发动首轮进攻。该公司正与一家小米(Xiaomi)投资的初创企业合作，试图扭转萎靡不振的业务局面。
The sportswear company — which has fought to shake off the image of producing cheap sports shoes that are little more than western knock-offs — said yesterday that it had signed a strategic partnership with Huami Technology, which produces Xiaomi’s “Mi” smart wristband.
这家运动服企业昨天表示，已经和生产小米智能手环的华米科技(Huami Technology)签署了战略合作协议。李宁公司迄今一直在努力摆脱生产廉价运动鞋、产品比西方品牌的山寨产品好不了多少的形象。
The companies said the move was the first collaboration between sportswear and smart technology in China, and also Li Ning’s first foray into the smart sports sector.
李宁公司表示，此举是中国运动服和智能科技的首次合作，也是李宁品牌对智能运动产业的首次进军。
Retail analysts said that the announcement was well timed, coming a week after Apple’s unveiling of its new smartwatch.
零售分析师表示，这一宣布的时机恰到好处，上周苹果(Apple)刚发布新款智能手表。
Li Ning may also be hoping that some of the popularity of Xiaomi — a rapidly growing maker of smartphones and other gadgets — can rub off on the troubled sportswear group.
李宁公司或许还希望，这家处于困境中的运动服集团能够从小米那里获得一部分人气。小米是一家正在迅速成长的智能手机和其他小型电子设备的制造商。
Li Ning is scheduled to announce its annual results later this week, after issuing a warning in January that it expects to post its third consecutive full-year loss. The company will face questions about its search for a new chief executive, after the one installed in 2012 by private equity backer TPG left in November.
李宁公司定于本周晚些时候公布其年度财报。在此之前的今年1月，该公司曾发出警告称，预计将连续第三年出现全年亏损。此外，李宁公司还将在寻找新首席执行官的问题上面临质疑。此前的首席执行官是2012年由私募股权投资方TPG任命的，已经于去年11月离任。