Nubia makes a 'smart' choice with Suning

Suning Holdings Group Ltd's acquisition of a 33.33 percent stake in smartphone maker Nubia Technology Ltd, a subsidiary of ZTE Corp, is expected to drum up competition in China's crowded smartphone marketplace.

Nubia, the upmarket brand of ZTE Corp, was launched three years ago in overseas markets.

The latest deal is a clear signal that Nubia could soon make a major push into the crowded domestic smartphone market, since Suning is one of the nation's largest electronics retailers and could strongly promote the brand.