One of the world's largest retailers, Wal-Mart, has set up a
Chinese Communist Party (CPC) branch in its headquarters in south
China.
Wal-Mart's Chinese headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen
opened its CPC branch on November 15, reported the Shenzhen
Special Zone Daily.
The establishment of the branch by Wal-Mart China marked the
success in promoting the work of the CPC within foreign companies
and would surely boost more CPC organizations in foreign-financed
companies, said Wang Suiming, head of the CPC Shenzhen City
Committee's organization department.
This was another breakthrough made by the Fortune 500 company
after it set up a trade union in its headquarters last month, Wang
said. In August, Wal-Mart set up its first party branch in the
northeast city Shenyang.
According to the CPC Constitution every Party member must belong
to a branch, cell or other specific unit of the CPC to participate
in the regular activities of the Party. Primary Party organizations
are formed with at least three full CPC members.
Wal-Mart founded its first trade union in Jinjiang in July and
since then at least 60 more Wal-Mart outlets in China have set up
trade unions with more than 6,000 members, according to the
All-China Federation of Trade Unions.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. entered the Chinese market in 1996. It now
has 67 stores in 34 Chinese cities with over 30,000 employees.
(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2006)