+34
China's Foreign Ministry accused a US congressional committee of fabricating claims after its chairman called Starbucks' new cafes in Urumqi morally bankrupt and urged their closure.
BEIJING - China's Foreign Ministry accused a US congressional committee on Oct 3 of fabricating claims over Starbucks opening two cafes in Xinjiang amid rights abuse allegations.
The dispute erupted after the chairman of the US House Select Committee on China called on the company to shutter its newly opened stores in the region. John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, called the decision to open stores in the regional capital Urumqi on Sept 29 morally bankrupt. He urged Starbucks to close the cafes, which are the company's first in the region.
Foreign Ministry Rejects Genocide Claims
The stores' opening ties an iconic American brand to the CCP's brutal campaign against the Uighurs, he said, referring to the ruling Communist Party of China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun accused the select committee on Oct 3 of habitually fabricating claims out of thin air for political purposes to attack and smear China. The so-called genocide in Xinjiang is a blatant lie, he said. Beijing has consistently denied allegations of genocide and forced labour in the region.
Activists and foreign governments have accused the Chinese authorities of widespread rights abuses against Xinjiang's predominantly Muslim Uighur minority. The United States has labelled the situation a genocide. Rights groups say serious abuses are ongoing, including forced labour. The United Nations warned in 2022 of possible crimes against humanity in the region.
Those warnings included the detention of more than a million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in camps in the region. The allegations have drawn international condemnation and deepened tensions between Washington and Beijing. Moolenaar's statement on Sept 29 marked a direct intervention into corporate decision-making. He linked Starbucks' expansion to what he described as a brutal campaign against Uyghurs.
Starbucks Avoids Comment on Xinjiang Stores
The committee's criticism represented a rare public rebuke of a major American brand operating in China. Starbucks has not publicly responded to the calls to close the cafes. The company opened the two outlets in Urumqi on Sept 29. The move made it the latest foreign brand to expand into Xinjiang despite international scrutiny.
China's Foreign Ministry dismissed the committee's claims as politically motivated. Guo said the accusations were fabricated out of thin air. He reiterated Beijing's position that the genocide allegation is a blatant lie. The exchange highlights continuing friction over Xinjiang policy.
Beijing Denies Rights Abuse Allegations
The US committee's chairman has been a vocal critic of China's treatment of Uyghurs. China has repeatedly rejected such criticism as interference in its internal affairs. The United Nations and rights groups have continued to document abuses. Their reports cite mass detentions and forced labour.
China denies those findings and says its policies in Xinjiang are aimed at combating extremism and boosting development.
Please follow us on Google to support us
STForeignDesk
straits_times:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Starbucks Xinjiang Uyghurs US-China Relations Human Rights Starbucks Xinjiang Cafes US House Select Committee On China John Moolenaar China Foreign Ministry Uyghur Rights Abuses
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
California man charged with smuggling $300 million in Nvidia AI chips to ChinaGreg Lui, owner of Earthmade Computer, faces charges of conspiracy to violate US export controls, outbound smuggling and money laundering for allegedly shipping Nvidia chips to China through Malaysia and Singapore.
Read more »
Rights group, US lawmakers condemn first Starbucks stores in China’s XinjiangStarbucks faces criticism from US lawmakers and rights groups for opening stores in Xinjiang amid ongoing concerns over human rights abuses. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Russia Warns Foreign Nationals to Leave Kyiv as Strikes ContinueRussia said it will continue targeted retaliatory strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, urging foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the capital immediately.
Read more »