SHANGHAI/HONG KONG -- A unit of China's Alibaba Group Holding on Monday said it has appointed retired football superstar David Beckham as its first global brand ambassador, as the conglomerate aims to accelerate its overseas expansion.
The move highlights the battle among Chinese e-commerce companies to capture lucrative markets abroad amid slow growth and fierce competition at home. Some rivals, such as Temu and Shein, have made a splash in the U.S. and Europe with inexpensive products and heavy marketing.
