Wal-Mart to expand marketshare in China by adding 117 stores by 2017

Giant U.S. retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc plans to expand its footprint in China by nearly a third by opening 115 new stores by 2017, the firm's chief executive said, in a renewed push to lure China's grocery shoppers despite slowing growth.

美国零售业巨头沃尔玛计划将中国的业务规模扩大近三分之一，预计将于2017年前在中国开设115家新店。公司首席执行官称，尽管进展比较缓慢，但沃尔玛正在发起吸引中国消费者的新一轮攻势。

"Our aim is to become an integral part of China's economy," Chief Executive Doug McMillon said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday. "China is a top priority."

周三在北京举行的新闻发布会上，首席执行官董明伦说：“我们希望成为中国经济不可或缺的一部分。中国市场是重中之重，我们会优先考虑。”

The development plans come as the U.S. retailer seeks to stave off slower growth in China, closing some under-performing stores and giving more emphasis to the faster-growing online grocery market through its Yihaodian.com platform.

在这次扩展计划中，为避免进展过于缓慢，公司还将关闭一些表现欠佳的门店，并重点借助“1号店”的业务平台，积极扩大发展更快的线上零售市场。

McMillon said he was excited by e-commerce growth prospects in the country. The Yihaodian.com platform offered 8 million products at the end of 2014, up from just 18,000 items in 2011, he said.

董明伦称，他为中国线上销售平台的发展前景而感到振奋。截止2014年底，“1号店”零售平台为消费者提供了共计800万种不同商品，这个数量与2011年的1.8万种商品相比有了很大提高。

The company said it would open the 115 new stores in cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuhan between 2015 to 2017, creating more than 30,000 jobs, without disclosing how much it would invest in building the new outlets. It had 411 stores in China at the end of January this year, according to its annual report.

沃尔玛表示，接下来将在上海、深圳、武汉等城市新开115家门店，开业时间为2015至2017年间。此举将会创造超过3万个工作岗位，但公司并未透露新店投资额。年度报告显示，截止至今年1月底，中国有411家沃尔玛连锁店。

Wal-Mart also plans to invest more than 370 million yuan ($60 million) to remodel more than 50 stores this year. McMillon also said the company would ensure the highest quality suppliers, reinforcing its focus on food safety after it announced a 300 million yuan investment in food safety management last year.

沃尔玛公司还计划在今年将对现有的50多家门店进行升级改造，预计耗资逾3.7亿元人民币（约合6000万美元）。董明伦还表示，公司将会确保其供应商的商品都具有最高品质，尤其会加强对食品供应的安全保障。2014年，沃尔玛仅在食品安全管理方面就耗资3亿人民币。

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer's new push in China comes as global grocery firms face increasing challenges in the world's second-biggest economy. Wal-Mart in February said that its China net sales declined 0.7 percent, with comparable same-store sales falling 2.3 percent, for the quarter ended Jan. 31.

沃尔玛的总部位于美国阿肯色州本顿维尔。近年来跨国际超市在中国的竞争越来越激烈，沃尔玛同样面临挑战。今年2月沃尔玛披露的数据显示，截止至1月31日，沃尔玛当季在中国的净销售额同比下降0.7%，同店销售额也下降了2.3%。

Wal-Mart, France's Carrefour SA and Britain's Tesco PLC have all seen sales growth slip over the last five years, losing market share to local rivals, according to a report published on Tuesday from consumer analytics firm Kantar Worldpanel.

凯度消费者指数4月21日发布的报告显示，过去五年里，美国沃尔玛、法国家乐福、英国乐购这三大跨国连锁超市的销售增长速度均出现了下滑，其市场份额正被一些地方竞争对手抢占。

Average same-store sales dropped into negative territory last year, according to an analysis of six major grocers by consultancy OC&C.

欧析企业管理咨询公司对六家大型食品杂货零售商的分析显示，2014年，各零售巨头的平均同店销售额均出现了负增长。

Tesco, U.S. retailer Best Buy Co Inc and Britain's Marks and Spencer Group PLC have all taken a hit in China over the last couple of years, scaling back operations or exiting the country.

过去几年里，英国乐购，美国百思买公司，英国玛莎百货都在中国市场受到了打击，或是缩小了其在中国市场内的经营规模，或是退出了中国市场。