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BackU.S. lawmakers condemn Starbucks for opening stores in Xinjiang
U.S. lawmakers condemn Starbucks for opening stores in Xinjiang
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德国之声57 minutes agoPolitics2 min readChinaView original

U.S. lawmakers condemn Starbucks for opening stores in Xinjiang

John Mueller, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on China, called on Starbucks to immediately close Xinjiang stores, sparking controversy over corporate ethics and human rights issues.

starbucksXinjiangjohn mullernar

Quick Look

  • John Mueller, chairman of the U.S.
  • House Select Committee on China, condemned Starbucks for opening stores in Xinjiang, calling it morally bankrupt.
  • Starbucks recently opened two new stores in Urumqi as part of its expansion strategy following a restructuring of its China operations, triggering strong criticism from rights groups and U.S. politicians.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

Starbucks recently completed the restructuring of its China business, transferred its controlling stake to Boyu Capital, and plans to significantly expand the number of stores. Xinjiang has long been the focus of international public opinion due to human rights issues.

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John Moolenaar, chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' China Select Committee, issued a statement on October 1, condemning Starbucks' opening of stores in Xinjiang, China as "a shocking and morally bankrupt decision" and calling on Starbucks to immediately close its stores in Xinjiang.

"There is no legitimate reason for U.S. companies to operate in a region where China has detained more than one million Uyghurs and stripped them of their faith, language and culture," Mueller wrote in a statement.

The rights group World Uyghur Congress issued a statement saying, "Every cup of coffee sold in these stores links this iconic American brand to the Chinese Communist Party's brutal repression against the Uyghurs. Starbucks should immediately change course and close its stores in Xinjiang."

Xinjiang will be one of the regions with the fastest economic growth in China in 2025. On September 29, Starbucks opened two stores in Xinjiang, one at Tianshan International Airport and the other at Urumqi International Grand Bazaar, known as "Star Bazaar". It is Starbucks' first intangible cultural heritage flagship store in China.

In April this year, Starbucks completed the sale of its controlling stake in its Chinese business to Boyu Capital and established a Starbucks China joint venture. Starbucks retains 40% of the shares, while Boyu Capital holds 60%. Starbucks' approximately 8,000 directly-operated stores in mainland China have been converted into franchises and are managed by joint ventures. The company's long-term goal is to expand its stores in China to 20,000.

The store photos released by Starbucks on its official WeChat platform this week show Starbucks logos in both Chinese and English, but there are no obvious Uyghur logos.

Open Questions

  • Will Starbucks respond to calls to close stores?
  • How much influence does Boyu Capital have on the decision-making power of store operations?

Related Topics

starbucks
Peoplejohn mullernar
OrganizationsU.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Chinaworld uyghur congressBoyu Capital
PlacesXinjiangTianshan International AirportUrumqi International Grand Bazaar
TopicsXinjiangjohn mullernarhuman rightsBoyu CapitalUighur
This article was originally published by 德国之声.

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