Beijing rebukes US call over Starbucks Xinjiang stores
SCMP · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Beijing on Saturday pushed back against criticism from a US lawmaker over Starbucks' new presence in Xinjiang, after the coffee chain opened its first two stores in the region in Urumqi. John Moolenaar, the Republican chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, called the move “morally bankrupt” and urged Starbucks to close the outlets. China’s foreign ministry said the committee was fabricating claims for political purposes and described allegations of genocide in Xinjiang as a “blatant lie”. The dispute has drawn renewed attention to how foreign brands navigate political and human-rights controversies while expanding in China.
Key Points
- Starbucks opened two stores in Urumqi last week, one in the Grand Bazaar tourist area and another at Urumqi Tianshan International Airport
- Moolenaar said on Thursday there was no justification for an American company to operate in a region where more than a million Uygurs were detained
- He also said the openings tied an iconic American brand to what he called the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal campaign against Uyghurs.
- Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Saturday the US committee habitually fabricated claims out of thin air to attack and smear China.
- Guo said Xinjiang now enjoyed social stability, economic prosperity, ethnic unity and religious harmony, and China would welcome more foreign business investment
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers and regional businesses, the row underlines the reputational and political risks global consumer brands can face when expanding on the mainland. It also shows how Xinjiang remains a flashpoint in US-China tensions, with commercial decisions quickly becoming diplomatic disputes.