The Forbidden City not so Forbidden

Back in December of 2000 CNN published an article about the opening of a Starbucks in none other than the Forbidden City. Public outcry in China was widespread, with the local media reporting a more than 70% disapproval rate.

Indeed the future looked grim for Starbucks. According to CNN other fine examples of the American culture were coming under fire as well. The finger licking goodness of the Colonel (KFC), would be leaving in 2002, and the golden arches of McDonalds were smartly removed from Tienanmen square.

Fast forward seven years… the International Herald Tribune Asia-Pacific reports that Jiang Hongbin, the who represents the northeastern province of Heilongjiang at the National People’s Congress has continued the fight to get Starbucks out of the Forbidden city.

Those in the Pro-Starbucks camp say that it helps fund necessary maintenance, those in the Anti-Starbucks camp claim it is a cancer that is eating away at the integrity of the Chinese culture.

So where do you stand?

Personally I have very mixed emotions on this topic. On one hand I agree completely with the Chinese locals. I mean this is the Forbidden City! It would be like putting a Starbucks inside Stonehenge, or besides the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, etc. It just doesn’t seem right.

On the other hand, the Forbidden City is huge. It needs money for upkeep. And while its easy to sit here and say that the government should be doing that, when you consider the economic blight that the majority of the Chinese people face, its hard to push for the government to put more money into maintenance when so many are in need basic necessities.

Its a tough decision to make, and ultimately one that only the Chinese people can make. Whether its good or bad, I will be putting my views of Starbucks aside when I visit China. I’ll have a latte or cappuccino with the warm comfort of knowing that somehow, in some way that cup of coffee is helping the people of China.