Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to hire up to 150,000 employees in China during the next five years, five times its current work force there, as it expands its number of stores, the company said Monday.

Wal-Mart has targeted China, which has been a major supplier of its products, as a key region for its international store growth. The company now has 56 stores in China with about 30,000 employees and plans to open 20 more stores this year.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Amy Wyatt declined to say how many stores the retailer would add in the longer term.