Washington (United States) (AFP) - A US parliamentary committee and a Uighur organization criticized Starbucks after it opened its first two cafes in Xinjiang, in light of China's accusation of violating the rights of this Muslim minority, something Beijing denies.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 13:24

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that the American café chain opened two branches on Tuesday in Urumqi in the northwest of the country, one in the market and the other at the airport.

The China Committee in the US House of Representatives criticized in a statement what it described as a "shocking and morally unjustified decision by a company that prides itself on its social responsibility."

Committee Chairman John Molenaar said, “Every cup sold in these two branches links a famous American brand to the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal campaign against the Uyghurs. Starbucks must immediately reverse its decision and close its two branches in Xinjiang.”

The World Uyghur Congress, which says it defends the interests of this minority, accused Starbucks of "once again overlooking a tragic human rights situation."

“No company should contribute to an economy where state-imposed forced labor remains a serious concern,” he said in a social media post.

Xinjiang, which includes many ethnic groups including the Turkic-speaking Uyghurs and Muslims, has been subject to a strict security policy led by Beijing in the name of “fighting terrorism” for a decade, after it has long suffered from attacks that the authorities attributed to Islamists and separatists, which resulted in a large number of civilian casualties.

In 2022, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, published a report in which she indicated that “crimes against humanity” had occurred in Xinjiang. The report spoke of violations committed against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

Beijing denies these accusations, and asserts that its policies have stopped attacks, combated extremism, and ensured the economic development of the region.

© 2026 AFP

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