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.
China's foreign ministry vehemently denied allegations from a US congressional committee regarding Starbucks' decision to open two new cafes in Xinjiang. The committee's chairman, John Moolenaar, had called on the coffee giant to shut down the stores in Urumqi, the regional capital, citing concerns over alleged human rights abuses against the Uyghur minority.
The Chinese government argued that the move tarnished Starbucks' image by associating the brand with the CCP's oppressive policies towards the Uyghurs, a term the US has labeled a genocide. In a statement, Chinese spokesman Guo Jiakun vehemently dismissed the claims as a "fabrication out of thin air for political purposes to attack and smear China."
The UN had previously raised concerns about possible crimes against humanity in the region, with rights groups reporting ongoing abuses like forced labor.
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- China slams US ‘lie’ over Starbucks stores in Xinjiang freemalaysiatoday.com
