China slams US ‘lie’ over Starbucks stores in Xinjiang

China's foreign ministry strongly denied accusations from a US congressional committee on Saturday, claiming the committee was "fabricating claims" in an attempt to tarnish China's image. The controversy stems from a call by John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, urging Starbucks to close two recently opened cafes in Xinjiang.

Moolenaar called the decision to open stores in Urumqi, the capital of the region, "morally bankrupt" and linked it to the Chinese Communist Party's alleged crackdown on the Uyghur minority.

Activists and foreign governments have long accused Chinese authorities of widespread rights abuses against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, with the US labeling the situation a genocide. However, Chinese officials vehemently dispute these claims, with Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, labeling the accusations as "blatant lies."

Moolenaar's comments come amid ongoing warnings from the United Nations about potential crimes against humanity in the region, with reports of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities detained in camps.