Rights group, US lawmakers condemn first Starbucks stores in China’s Xinjiang

Rights groups and US lawmakers have condemned Starbucks for opening its first cafes in China's Xinjiang region, citing widespread human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim population. The American coffee giant opened two stores in Urumqi, the regional capital, on Tuesday, a move that Chinese state media outlets hailed as a significant development.

John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, called the development "morally bankrupt" and criticized Starbucks for aligning itself with the CCP's brutal campaign against the Uyghurs. Additionally, the World Uyghur Congress, a rights advocacy group, stated that Starbucks is ignoring the dire human rights situation in the region by opening stores there and urged companies not to contribute to an economy where state-imposed forced labor remains a serious concern.

The United Nations has previously warned of possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, including the detention of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in camps. The Chinese government denies these allegations and claims its policies have rooted out extremism and brought economic development.

Brief written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.