Starbucks opened its first cafés in China’s Xinjiang region, prompting criticism from activists and US lawmakers over the coffee giant’s decision to expand into an area widely scrutinized for human rights violations.
Beijing has denied allegations that it represses Xinjiang’s Muslim Uyghur population, and has invested heavily to rebrand the region, efforts that are paying off: Chinese state media reported a 22% year-on-year increase in new foreign-funded enterprises and a 10% rise in foreign investment in 2025, while more than 300 million foreign visitors generated $53 billion.
The chairman of the US House committee on China called Starbucks’ move “morally bankrupt,” saying it “ties an iconic American brand to the CCP’s brutal campaign against the Uyghurs.”