Starbucks has sparked controversy by expanding into China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where human rights abuses have been continuously alleged.

According to reports by Reuters and other media outlets today (October 3), Starbucks recently opened two new stores in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

One location opened as a flagship store at the Grand Bazaar in the city center, while the other opened at the Urumqi International Airport.

Videos and photos posted on social media showed that the stores feature Starbucks logos in English and Chinese, with no visible guide signs in the Uyghur language.

Uyghur is written in the Arabic alphabet and is used as an official language alongside standard Chinese in the Xinjiang region.

The news of Starbucks' expansion into the Xinjiang region has drawn pushback from the U.S. Congress.

Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, urged Starbucks to "shut down the stores immediately."

In a statement released on October 2, he criticized the decision, saying, "It is deeply shocking that a company that proudly touts its social responsibility has made this decision," and calling it a "moral bankruptcy."

He added, "There is no justification for an American company to continue doing business in a region where the Chinese Communist Party has detained over one million Uyghurs and stripped them of their faith, language, and culture."

In response to a request for comment regarding these criticisms, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed them as "blatant lies," stating, "The Xinjiang region is enjoying social stability, economic growth, ethnic unity, and religious harmony."

Starbucks did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment regarding the opening in the Xinjiang region.

China is currently in the middle of its National Day holiday period, which runs from October 1 to October 7.

Starbucks opened its first store in China in 1999 and enjoyed immense popularity during the country's hyper-growth period, but in recent years, it has faced evaluations that it is being squeezed by local Chinese coffee and tea brands.

In April of this year, the establishment of a joint venture was finalized, with Chinese investment firm Boyu Capital holding a 60 percent stake and Starbucks holding 40 percent in Starbucks' retail business joint venture in China.

This joint venture currently operates approximately 8,000 stores in China.

(Photo: Captured from Chinese social media Weibo, Yonhap News)