The world's top anti-unionist Wal-Mart saw a new trade union set up in one of its outlets in the southern China city of Shenzhen early Tuesday morning, where the world's leading retailer locates its China headquarters.

The trade union of the Wal-Mart Dafen store in Shenzhen was installed around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday despite "repeated and various obstacles," an official with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) said.

Altogether 24 employees of Wal-Mart's Dafen store elected their first trade union committee and a fund auditing committee. Chen Li, a 25-year-old employee, was elected chairman of the trade union committee.

People in charge of the local federation of trade unions in Shenzhen and government officials have been to the store to push forward the formation of the trade union, according to the ACFTU official.

The official said the previous two Wal-Mart trade unions in the city, set up on August 4 and 6 respectively, have met with no or little difficulties. Wal-Mart China, however, told Xinhua earlier that the company had not been officially notified about such union activities in advance.

The Wal-Mart employees at the Dafen store had applied to the Buji Subdistrict Federation of Trade Unions for the establishment of their own labor union.

Liang Yaofa, deputy chairman of Shenzhen Federation of Trade Unions, said joining the trade union was a voluntary choice of these employees, and the Federation respected their rights and decision.

So far, 27 employees at the Dafen store have voluntarily joined in the labor union.

Up to now, five trade unions have been set up in Wal-Mart China stores.

Employees at Wal-Mart's outlets in the eastern city of Nanjing and in the southern city of Shenzhen convened late Saturday and early Sunday to unionize.

Wal-Mart's 60 Chinese outlets employ 23,000 people. The first trade union was set up at Wal-Mart's Jinjiang outlet on July 29 after 30 employees appealed to the local federation of trade unions. The second was set up last Friday at Wal-Mart's Hujing store in Shenzhen.

According to China's trade unions law, enterprises or institutions with 25 employees and above should establish trade unions, and employees have the right to join the ACFTU.