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SCMP Reporter

WHEN Starbucks opened shop in the Forbidden City it was seen by many as another intrusion by corporate America at the expense of traditional Chinese values.

Until the mini-cafe opened in September, the biggest stir the coffee giant created by its two-year presence in the Chinese market was turning some tea drinkers on to a new source of caffeine.

All that changed, however, after two small wooden tables, a couple of chairs and a coffee bar were set up next to a merchant selling books and souvenirs in the courtyard outside the Forbidden City's Hall of Preserving Harmony.

The Forbidden City, built in the early 15th century, was home to emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties until the collapse of the imperial system in the 1911 revolution.

The fact that the Starbucks outlet is smaller and less noticeable than many other stores in the Forbidden City has not stemmed the tide of discussion on Internet chat rooms, online surveys and domestic news reports debating its pros and cons.

A survey on the Web site www.sina.com showed that more than 70 per cent of almost 60,000 people questioned were opposed to the sensitive location of the cafe.

It has been called an insult to Chinese tradition and disrespectful to ancient history. However, administrators of the Forbidden City were ready for the controversy, claiming the cafe was part of their efforts to improve services.

Pedro Man, the president of Starbucks Coffee Asia-Pacific, said in a statement that the firm designed stores which were sensitive to local architecture.

'With regards to the Forbidden City store we knew it was a landmark location and we worked closely with the Forbidden City museum authorities towards respecting the historical relevance of the site.'

The shop bears none of the trademark green and white neon illuminated signs of most Starbucks outlets.

The size of the store makes it easy to miss but the smell of coffee lingers under the rooftops. Reactions of tourists have been mixed, suggesting it is not an issue of size or prominence, but what the existence of Starbucks represents to them.

'I think it's awful and totally clashes with the traditional culture. Consumerism is just buying over everything,' said a backpacker from Norway. But he added he liked Starbucks.

'Nestle is advertised on the entrance ticket and American Express is funding the repainting here,' he said, conceding the reach of commercialism.

His Danish companion said: 'I don't mind it in principle. There are lots of riches on display here.

'It's all a kind of monetary worship. What really bothers me is that it's so expensive. It's only accessible for wealthy people. I thought this was supposed to be a communist country.'

For customers, any discomfort with the store's existence is outweighed by the convenience it brings.

'I have to say I find it a little inappropriate. This is supposed to represent traditional culture, right?' said a Korean student. 'But I was cold and I am happy to warm up by drinking their coffee all the same.'

Whether the hubbub will force the closure of the cafe, as is happening to a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in Beihai Park, remains to be seen.

'I can't predict whether a minority's dissatisfaction will close our shop down,' said the lone assistant at the cafe. 'But ultimately, those who come here to drink our coffee do so because they like it.

'It's not like we're forcing people to drink coffee.'



US flavour raises questions of taste for Forbidden City cafe