Chinese bloggers bash Starbucks

[Toliver]

Here's the article on MSN:

"Bad buzz: Chinese bloggers bash Starbucks"

Starbucks bashing isn't new. But that it's happening in China is new.

The current flap began last week, when Rui Chenggang, a well-known anchorman on Chinese state TV, posted an entry on his personal blog calling for Starbucks to be evicted from its corner of the Forbidden City. The coffee shop's presence "tramples on Chinese culture," he fulminated, and constitutes "an insult to Chinese civilization."

[aschbren]

Holy hell that Starbucks shouldn't be there.

It would be like if there were a fast food joint in the middle of the Arlington National Cemetery.

[Forest]

interesting.

But, in terms of the economic and cultural invasion they talk about, there's also Walmart in China, which doesn't seem particularly Chinese to me. Although, I do understand that they made efforts to adapt to the culture and changed some of their standard ways of selling food (things like live seafood, fresher food). I wonder if Starbucks will/could make some changes to blend more besides just a discrete sign - a bigger focus on tea?

I'm not a fan of Starbucks (or coffee for that matter) so I don't really mind if Starbucks makes it in China or not, but it's it's all interesting food for thought on globalization, cultural changes, etc.

[insomniac]

I posted about this last week on the fast food thread. The interesting thing is that Starbucks has been there since the end of 2000 and in October last year the Chinese Govt. bought the Starbucks franchise from Mei Dah who was until then in a joint venture with the US co.

The cafe does look out of place; it's attached to a shop selling paintings etc., shame commercialism has to penetrate this site.

Will be interested to see what the govt. does now.