U.S.-based Toys “R” Us has been active globally for decades. It currently has stores in about 35 countries and jurisdictions. Now, it has decided to make a bigger push in China, the world’s largest country.

As Laurie Burkitt and Ann Zimmerman report for the Wall Street Journal: “Toys “R” Us Inc. plans an online and bricks-and-mortar push in China, its top executive said, in a bet that a growing middle class will see play time as increasing essential. To ply a market where many parents would sooner buy their children books than Barbies, the retailer is stocking up on toy microscopes, building blocks, and other educational toys to win Chinese parents over. The Wayne, N.J., company is launching online sales in China this week and plans to double its stores from a current 30 in the next few years, said Chief Executive Jerry Storch in an interview.”

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