A MEMBER of China’s parliament has demanded the immediate closure of a Starbucks coffee shop set up inside Beijing’s Forbidden City, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Two months after a television host launched an online campaign to evict Starbucks Corp. from the former home of Chinese emperors, the 7-year-old store has had its logo removed but otherwise it’s business as usual, Xinhua said.

“Starbucks must move out of the imperial palace immediately, and it can no longer be allowed to taint China’s national culture,” said Jiang Hongbin, who represents the northeastern province of Heilongjiang at the National People’s Congress (NPC).

“As long as it stays in the imperial palace, it poses a challenge to our traditional culture,” said Jiang, who is president of Heilongjiang Chia Tai Co., a unit of Thai agricultural conglomerate CP Group.

In response to the online boycott, the Palace Museum management had promised to seek a solution with Starbucks by the end of June, Xinhua said. The rent paid by Starbucks is used for maintenance of the palace, it added, citing museum managers.

NPC delegates may suggest motions or proposals for legislation and government action.

Other suggestions this year have included protecting undersea archaeological finds, banning firms from claiming they have State sponsorship in advertising, and making entrance to the Great Hall of the People free.

(SD-Agencies)