China, meanwhile, has rejected widespread accusations of abuses against Uyghurs.
John Moolenaar, chairman of the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on China, said Starbucks should “immediately reverse course and close its stores” in the region. “This is a shocking and morally bankrupt decision by a company that prides itself on social responsibility,” he said in a statement published on Thursday. Starbucks is facing criticism in the United States after opening its first two outlets in China’s Xinjiang region, with a US lawmaker urging the company to shut them down over alleged repression of Uyghurs.
In a post on the company’s official WeChat account, Starbucks said the new outlets represented more than the opening of coffee shops and were intended to offer an experience combining local culture with the needs of customers. Liu Wenjuan, Starbucks’ chief executive in China, said the company would continue investing in Xinjiang. Starbucks and China’s Foreign Ministry had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. China is currently observing a week-long national holiday. Starbucks has instead presented its arrival in Xinjiang as part of its wider strategy in China.