Wal-Mart, as one of the first group of multinational retailers that started business in Chinese market, benefited from China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). With the country's rapid economic development, Wal-Mart realized double-digit growth in its annual growth rate of opening new stores in China since 2004.

 

The world retail giant opened its first Walmart Supercenter and its first Sam's Club in Shenzhen of the southern Guangdong Province in 1996, a big event which attracted widespread attention. After 15 years of development, Wal-Mart has over 350 stores in various formats and brands, covering 133 cities in 21 provinces in China.