China slams US ‘lie’ over Starbucks stores in Xinjiang
The chairman of the US House Select Committee on China called the decision to open stores in Urumqi 'morally bankrupt' and urged Starbucks to close the cafes.
On Saturday, China's foreign ministry vehemently denied claims made by a US congressional committee that Starbucks had opened two stores in Xinjiang, citing alleged human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority. The committee's chairman, John Moolenaar, had called on Starbucks to close the cafes in Urumqi, the regional capital, deeming the decision "morally bankrupt."
The stores' opening was seen as an affront to the CCP's harsh crackdown on Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim group. Activists and foreign governments have long accused Chinese authorities of widespread rights violations in Xinjiang, which the US administration has labeled a genocide. However, China's spokesman, Guo Jiakun, flatly rejected the committee's allegations, branding them a "habitual fabrication out of thin air" aimed at attacking and tarnishing China's image.
The UN had previously warned in 2022 of possible crimes against humanity in the region, including the detention of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in internment camps.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- China slams US ‘lie’ over Starbucks stores in Xinjiang freemalaysiatoday.com
