Li Ning Co., the largest footwear and apparel maker in China, has opened its first U.S.  headquarters in Portland. According to The Oregonian, the company has quietly opened a design office in Portland's Pearl District. The office incorporated as Li Ning Sports USA Inc. “to design athletic shoes and apparel and to engage in any lawful business,” Oregon Corporation Division records show.


 


Li Ning is the No. 3 manufacturer of sneakers sold in China, after Nike and Adidas, but only a sliver of its sales now comes from abroad.


 


It's the first U.S. office of Li Ning that many industry observers know about, though no one can say for certain that it has not opened one elsewhere, according to the newspaper.


 


Sources surmised Li Ning might want to tap into the design talent in the region, but also may be looking to expand in the U.S.  In 2006, the company signed an endorsement deal with its first NBA player –Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Damon Jones, who wears Li-Ning's “Feijia,” or “Flying Armor,” basketball shoes.