Chinese technology company iFlyTek has agreed to sponsor LaLiga’s RCD Espanyol, as well as make Chinese national team player Wu Lei an official ambassador.
According to Sina Finance, the signing of the deal will take place next week at Espanyol’s RCDE stadium.
Listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange, iFlyTek specialises in artificial intelligence and produces AI-enabled smart devices for communications, education, and musical fields, and Wu Lei is known to be using their products to learn Spanish to integrate with his teammates.
Chinese telecommunication corporation China Mobile is reported to have acquired a 15-per-cent stake in iFlyTek worth $214m (€192m) in 2012.
In June this year, Espanyol signed an agreement with China Mobile under which video content, including live reserve team games, will be hosted on the mobile telco’s video platform Midea Entertainment.
Chinese interest in Espanyol is strong due to Wu, the first Chinese player in Spain’s LaLiga, who was signed by the team this year. Espanyol is also owned by Chinese businessman Chen Yansheng, chairman of Rastar Group.