Li Ning On The Chinese Dream
THE man on the rope walking on the wall was called Li Ning. His is the Chinese fairytale:
Chinese retailer Li Ning (李宁) is the biggest winner of the 2008 Beijing Olympics so far, after its founder and chairman – whose name the company bears – lit the cauldron at the final act of last night’s opening ceremony.
Li was a fantastic choice, and one that embodies China at this point in time. A young man from Guangxi, one of China’s less affluent provinces, and a member of the Zhuang, one of China’s ethnic minorities, Li joined the country’s first-ever Olympic team and came back from the 1984 Games with 6 medals. In 1990, as China was struggling with economic downturn and international boycotts, he went on to start a retail business bearing his name.
Today, Li Ning is a publicly traded company and China’s largest sports retailer. The company is not an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics – it was probably not big enough when sponsors were considered – but was largely affiliated with the games all along.
Looking after your own…
Posted: 11th, August 2008 | In: Reviews Comments (25) | TrackBack | Permalink
