Foreign Affairs Ministry Website Announcement, October 3rd, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun responded to reporters' questions.
Reuters reporter: Starbucks will open stores in Xinjiang, China. The House Committee on China of the U.S. Congress criticized Starbucks' decision, calling it "moral corruption," and stating that the Chinese government has carried out "genocide" against the Uyghurs. What is the comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? ( AFP also asked this question)
Guo Jiaqun: The claim that there is ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang is a blatant lie. The relevant American agencies are accustomed to fabricating stories for political purposes and attacking China with false accusations, thus lacking any credibility.
Currently, Xinjiang is stable in terms of society, economic development, national unity, and religious harmony. China will continue to expand its high-level opening up, providing more opportunities for foreign enterprises to invest and operate in China.
According to previous reports, on September 29, two new Starbucks stores in Xinjiang officially opened. These are the Starbucks International Grand Bazaar Intangible Cultural Heritage Flagship Store and the Starbucks Tianshan International Airport Store.
As a key investment project for Urumqi in 2026, these two stores are based on different consumption scenarios. They implement Planet Barker's brand strategy of 'each store having its own unique characteristics', deeply integrating the local cultural features of Xinjiang with coffee consumption experiences, thereby injecting new vitality into the capital's consumer market.
On the day of opening, Starbucks also posted an article on its official WeChat public account to celebrate.
"Entering Xinjiang not only means a further expansion of Starbucks' store network, but also means that we have the opportunity to penetrate this vibrant market and establish genuine, long-term relationships with customers in Xinjiang," said Karen Fisher, CEO of Starbucks China. "We hope to bring not just new stores to Xinjiang, but a truly integrated experience that reflects local culture and responds to the unique needs of customers and communities. We will continue to invest in Xinjiang, creating a third space exclusive to Xinjiang through more relevant products, services, and experiences."
