BY COMFORT OGBONNA
A U.S. lawmaker has called on Starbucks to close its newly opened stores in China’s Xinjiang region, arguing that the coffee company’s decision to expand into the area ignores concerns over the treatment of Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group.
John Moolenaar, chairman of the House of Representatives Select Committee on China, urged Starbucks to reverse its decision after the company opened its first two locations in Xinjiang this week.
The stores are located in Urumqi, the regional capital, with one operating at the city’s Grand Bazaar and another at Urumqi’s international airport.
Moolenaar described the expansion as a “morally bankrupt decision” and criticized Starbucks for entering a region that has been at the center of international scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.
“This is a shocking and morally bankrupt decision by a company that prides itself on social responsibility,” Moolenaar said in a statement published Thursday.
“There is no justifiable reason for an American company to do business in a region where the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) has detained more than a million Uyghurs and is stripping them of their faith, language, and culture.”
The comments add to broader pressure on U.S. companies operating in or expanding into Xinjiang, where allegations of forced labor, mass detention and restrictions on religious and cultural practices have drawn condemnation from U.S. officials and human rights organizations.
China has repeatedly rejected allegations of widespread abuses in Xinjiang. Chinese authorities say their policies in the region are intended to combat terrorism, separatism and religious extremism, and have defended vocational and security programs implemented there as necessary measures to maintain stability.
The opening of the Starbucks locations marks the company’s entry into a region that has become particularly sensitive for international businesses because of the competing political and economic interests surrounding Xinjiang.
For U.S. companies, doing business in the region can carry heightened reputational and regulatory risks because of concerns raised by Washington over alleged forced labor and human rights violations. At the same time, companies operating in China face pressure to comply with Chinese laws and maintain their presence in one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
Moolenaar’s criticism places Starbucks’ Xinjiang expansion under renewed scrutiny as U.S.-China tensions continue to affect American businesses operating in China.
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawmaker’s demand. China’s Foreign Ministry also did not immediately respond to questions about the criticism.
China is currently observing its week-long National Day holiday, a period during which government offices and many businesses operate on reduced schedules.
The dispute comes as multinational companies continue to navigate the increasingly complicated relationship between commercial interests in China and concerns raised by governments, lawmakers and advocacy groups about business activity in Xinjiang.
For Starbucks, the opening of the two Urumqi stores represents a new step in its expansion in China, while the criticism from a senior U.S. lawmaker could increase scrutiny of the company’s operations and business decisions in the region.
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