China TV Draws Backlash For Probing Starbucks, Not Issues
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Chinese Internet users lashed out at China Central Television for accusing Starbucks Corp. of price gouging, criticizing the state broadcaster for deflecting attention from more pressing social issues.
The U.S. coffee chain charges higher prices locally than in cities such as Chicago and London, CCTV said in a 20-minute report on Oct. 20. A CCTV posting on Starbucks on China’s Twitter-like Weibo service drew more than 29,000 comments, most of which lambasted the station for ignoring problems such as high housing prices and corruption.