20 August 2023 Hong Kong – Leading PRC-based professional sportswear enterprise Xtep International Holdings Limited (the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) (Stock code: 1368.HK) held an achievement conference at the Great Wall in Beijing on 18 August to announce the milestones of its “World-class Running Shoes of China Xtep” brand strategy upgrade, and unveiled “160X 5.0 PRO” and “160X 5.0”, the latest additions to its championship running shoe series “160X”, equipped with the world-class “XTEP ACE” midsole technology. 

In addition to celebrities such as Xtep brand spokespersons Wang Hedi and Jiro Wang, the event was also attended by a number of heavyweight guests including former President of the Chinese Athletics Association Duan Shijie, Head of China Sports Policy Research Institute at Beijing Sport University Bao Mingxiao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Athletics Association and Minister of Industrial Development Gao Shan, manned spaceflight expert Wang Yi, Olympic champion Wang Junxia, and marathon champion running group, all of whom gathered together to unveil the achievements of the new brand strategy upgrade and to witness how Xtep is leading China’s running sector with its magnificent speed into the world and into the future.

Focusing on running for 16 years to boost “China Speed” with championship running shoes Xtep has been specializing in running for 16 years, dedicating itself to product innovation and optimizing and upgrading running shoe capability. It has continuously perfected the running ecosystem in China and strived to create the most suitable equipment for professional runners in China in order to boost the “China Speed”. At the event, two new strategic running shoe products – “160X 5.0 PRO” and “160X 5.0” – featuring the world-class “XTEP ACE” midsole technology were unveiled. The new product has achieved a 9.8% improvement in propulsion compared to the previous generation after retuning. The T700 full-foot carbon plate provides stronger propulsion and smoother rolling, resulting in enhanced stability. The new shoe upper technology, “Light Flex Technology”, ensures lasting breathability, while reducing the weight by 11 grams compared to the previous generation, significantly reducing the burden. These multiple upgrades allow runners to experience a powerful propulsion while maintaining comfort and stability. “160X” series has been relentlessly upgraded, which boasts optimized performance in key indicators such as cushioning, slip resistance, durability and rebound, and is thus blazing a trail among domestic and international sports brands, consistently rewriting the history of Chinese marathons. In March this year, Xtep “160X” series helped He Jie break Chinese men's marathon national record in Wuxi, which had remained untouched for nearly 16 years. In just the past year, “160X” running shoe series has already secured 17 World Athletics Label Road Races championships and helped 60 Chinese athletes secure a total of 292 marathon championships thus far. In the first half of 2023, Xtep continued to dominate with a high wear rate of 42% among the top 100 male runners in Chinese marathons, surpassing all other brands to claim the top position. 

Leading the world on behalf of China and opening new pattern of “China Speed 2.0” At the forum of the event, Xtep Chairman and CEO Ding Shui Po engaged in a dialogue with manned spaceflight expert Wang Yi, Head of China Sports Policy Research Institute at Beijing Sport University Bao Mingxiao and Olympic champion Wang Junxia, focusing on the new landscape of “made in China” and China Speed in the context of rise of the great power. Multiple experts expressed their recognition of the importance of Xtep’s representation of Chinese running shoes in showcasing China Speed on the world stage. Manned spaceflight expert Wang Yi expressed admiration for the similarities between Xtep and China's aerospace industry, as both have achieved a leading position in their respective fields with the "China speed" of acceleration.

Mr. Ding Shui Po, Chairman and CEO of Xtep International Holdings Limited, concluded: “Today’s announcement of these strategic new products reflects Xtep’s determination, as the ‘World-class Chinese Running Shoes’, to continue to further develop its running business, build a running business community, and fully promote the development of China’s running sector and the pursuit of nationwide fitness campaign. Xtep will initiate the ‘Ten Hundred Thousand Million Plan’ for running ecosystem. This plan includes dozens of super running service centres, hundreds of partners, thousands of running promoters, and ten thousand running coaches, to motivate 100 million people to start running and further ushering in a new era of China Speed 2.0”.