International | China

In August 1996, Wal-Mart Stores opened its first Supercenter and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen, China.  The entrance signaled Wal-Mart’s interest in China as not only a producer market, but also an emerging consumer market.  As of April 2008, Wal-Mart had opened 100 supercenters and 3 Sam’s Clubs, and held a 35% share of the Taiwanese Trust-Mart brand.

With the approval of Wal-Mart’s 100^th store, its growth as an international retailer in China is quite evident.  Yet the success of Wal-Mart has been tempered by a series of setbacks as reports have revealed that Wal-Mart procures goods, such as toys and apparel, from sweatshops that use toxic materials and unpaid labor.

Wal-Mart China was unionized on July 29, 2006 becoming the first Wal-Mart division to unionize in the history of the corporation. The company also has a branch of the Community Party operating out of its China headquarters.

OPERATIONS IN CHINA

President and CEO of Wal-Mart China: Ed Chan

Number of Associates: 48,589

Number of stores: 206

• Supercenters: 100
• Sam's Club: 3
• Neighborhood Markets: 2
• Trust Marts: 101
  

PUBLICATIONS

		Labor Rights in China Foreign Policy in Focus, December 31, 2006
		Made in China: The Sweatshop Behind the Bratz National Labor Committee and China Labor Watch, December 21, 2006
		Secrets, Lies, and Sweatshops Business Week, November, 27, 2006
		The Great Wal-Mart of China Newsweek, October 30, 2006
		Wal-Mart in China: Rolling Back Labor Rights International Labor Rights Fund, October 2006
		Organizing Wal-Mart: The Chinese Trade Union at a Crossroads Japan Focus, September 8, 2006
		Wal-Mart Sweatshop Toys Made in China China Labor Watch, December 2005
		Blood and Exhaustion: Behind Bargain Toys Made in China for Wal-Mart and Dollar General National Labor Committee, December 2005
		Wal-Mart Imports from China, Exports Ohio Jobs AFL-CIO Report, September 2005
		Wal-Mart Nation Time, June 19, 2005