News reports have suggested that the world's largest retailer will buy the chain - which posted sales of US$1.42 billion (£762.7 million) last year - from Trust-Mart, a Taiwanese company.
The deal - initially for 31 stores - would eventually take Wal-Mart's number of stores in China to 160 and would boost its annual sales to smash the US$2 billion (£1.07 billion) barrier. Last year, Wal-Mart's turnover was US$764 million (£410.4 million).
It is understood that both Carrefour and Tesco had been examining the Trust-Mart stores, but Wal-Mart moved first, driven by its target of generating 33 per cent of sales from foreign markets - up from the existing 20 per cent.
Wal-Mart declined to comment on the reports.
Meanwhile, China's largest trade union has called on all foreign companies operating in the country to establish trade union branches.
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) has made the call after Wal-Mart agreed to set up unions in its stores throughout China.
Find out first-hand about the booming Chinese retail economy by joining one of Retail Week's China Retail Tours in November or March. For more details visit www.retail-week.com/conferences
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