A US congressional committee and a Uyghur advocacy group criticized Starbucks after it opened its first two cafes in Xinjiang, amid accusations that China is violating the rights of this Muslim minority, allegations which Beijing denies.
The official Xinhua news agency reported that the American coffee chain opened two branches Tuesday in Urumqi, in the northwest of the country, one in a market and the other at the airport.
The US House Committee on China issued a statement criticizing what it called "a shocking and morally unjustifiable decision by a company that prides itself on its social responsibility."
Committee Chairman John Molenar said, "Every cup sold in these two stores links a well-known American brand to the Chinese Communist Party's brutal campaign against the Uyghurs. Starbucks should immediately reverse its decision and close its two Xinjiang stores."
The World Uyghur Congress, which says it defends the interests of this minority, accused Starbucks of "once again turning a blind eye to a tragic human rights situation."
"No company should be contributing to an economy where state-imposed forced labor remains a major concern," the Congress said in a social media post.
Xinjiang, home to numerous ethnic groups, including the Turkic-speaking and predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, has been subjected for a decade to a strict security policy led by Beijing in the name of "counterterrorism." This policy followed a long history of attacks attributed by authorities to Islamists and separatists, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.
In 2022, then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet published a report indicating that "crimes against humanity" had been committed in Xinjiang. The report detailed abuses perpetrated against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.
Beijing denies these accusations, asserting that its policies have halted attacks, combated extremism, and ensured the region's economic development.
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