Chinese sportswear brand opens flagship store in Beverly Hills

A Chinese sportswear brand opened its first North American flagship store on Friday in Beverly Hills, California, marking a significant step in its global market expansion.

The debut of Anta's first directly operated brick-and-mortar store in the United States took place in Beverly Hills, an influential high-end retail district in the country and home to flagship stores of numerous globally recognized sportswear and luxury brands.

City officials attended the opening ceremony, while a large crowd of sports fans lined up outside the store on Friday morning.

Austin, a young American waiting in line to enter the flagship store, said he was surprised to see a Chinese brand competing head-to-head in Beverly Hills with other international sportswear giants.

Holding a pair of running shoes accented with "China red," he told Xinhua that the refined design and quality of the products demonstrate the strong competitiveness of Chinese brands.

Sharona Nazarian, mayor of Beverly Hills, said at the ceremony that she was excited to see Anta's first U.S. store in Beverly Hills, adding that the large turnout underscored the broad appeal of the Chinese sportswear brand.

Anta brand CEO Xu Yang told reporters that the Beverly Hills store represents a concrete step in the company's globalization strategy.

"Opening directly operated stores in the United States is not just about selling products," Xu said. "We hope to use our products as a bridge and our stores as a window to let global consumers experience the strength of Chinese brands and the warmth of Chinese culture."