Walmart marks 30 years in China with push to drive retail innovation

Walmart China showcased its latest achievements in technological transformation and smart supply chain development at the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) under the theme "Smarter Retail, Brighter Future," which ran from June 22-26 in Beijing.

The booth of Walmart China at the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, June 25, 2026. [Photo/China.org.cn]

Located in the AI Zone of the Digital Technology Chain section, the Walmart booth marked the company's 30th anniversary in the Chinese market and highlighted its push to transform its supply chain through AI.

"Walmart is a company that puts people first and empowers them through technology," Anthony Qiu, senior vice president of supply chain integration and technology at Walmart China, said. "All our technological innovations are driven by the goal of better serving people."

He added: "We support our employees with smarter, more automated tools so they can focus on higher-value creative work and better serve our customers and members. We continue to invest in smart, agile supply chains, using technology to drive end-to-end optimization across merchandise decisions, operational efficiency and omnichannel experience, giving new meaning to Walmart's mission of 'saving people money so they can live better' in a new era."

At the expo, Walmart presented a 3D model of a future smart distribution center driven by automation and AI. The company said smart equipment is reshaping warehouse operations, with retail supply chains increasingly shifting from mechanical efficiency to AI-driven ecosystems.

In March, Walmart China opened an innovation center to test new technologies in real-world settings and scale successful outcomes. The center is currently piloting four-way shuttle systems, automated forklifts, tote-to-person picking stations and robotic arms.

The company has expanded supply chain automation in recent years, deploying automated sorting at its Shenzhen Pingshan distribution center and rolling out goods-to-person robots and tote-to-person systems across fulfillment centers and stores in southern and eastern China.

Walmart China has deployed AI across its retail operations, from demand forecasting and merchandising to warehouse sorting and last-mile delivery. The company said AI scales have cut weighing time by 40%, smart sorting robots have roughly doubled fulfillment efficiency, and Sam's Club express delivery handles multi-temperature orders in about two minutes, with nearly all arriving within an hour.

The company said its tech-powered approach frees staff from repetitive tasks. Through Feishu, a workplace collaboration platform, it offers a store assistant with AI-powered Q&A for rapid training and real-time product data, RFID-enabled warehouse tools for instant inventory scanning and alerts, and AI that has cut data entry time by 98% at its national distribution center.

During the expo, She Duanzhi, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Walmart China, spoke at a green agriculture thematic event about how Walmart is working with partners to build a green supply chain while promoting high-quality industry development. He noted that Walmart is committed to becoming a "regenerative" company, placing nature and people at the center of its business practices.

He said Walmart's Project Gigaton aims to reduce or avoid 1 billion metric tons of supply chain emissions, with more than 3,700 suppliers worldwide — including more than 400 in China — participating across six areas: energy, nature, waste, packaging, transportation and product use and design.

Walmart China is also accelerating the industry's zero-carbon transition through green transportation initiatives, reducing virgin plastic use and developing more logistics packaging applications using recycled plastics, in partnership with suppliers and industry partners.