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Starbucks CEO Howard openly calls for improving Sino-US relations!

Published: 2026-08-23 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/08/23, On the afternoon of June 9, local time, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz spoke with host AndrewRossSorkin at the DealBook/DC conference held by the New York Times, and he talked about the need to improve relations between China and the United States. Howard Schultz watch

On the afternoon of June 9, local time, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz spoke with host Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook/DC conference held by the New York Times, and he talked about the need to improve relations between China and the United States.

Howard Schultz said: "the rivalry between China and the United States is harmful to both sides and is by no means needed by the global market. If relations with China can be greatly improved, it will be of great benefit to both countries and the world as a whole. Both the United States and China need to build a positive cooperative relationship with each other. "

Howard Schultz has long advocated positive Sino-US relations. In January last year, he received a reply from Chinese President Xi Jinping affirming the positive role played by him and Starbucks in continuing to promote trade cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries.

At this meeting, Schultz specifically pointed out that abolishing the $360 billion tariff on China would "help American consumers" and "the beginning of an attempt to solve the global inflation problem."

As a well-known international coffee chain, according to public data, Starbucks had more than 34600 stores in 84 markets around the world as of April this year. Among them, the Chinese market accounts for 5700 stores, making it Starbucks' largest overseas market and Starbucks' second largest market.

Under such a huge system, Starbucks has to deal with changes in supply and demand in the global market, rising raw material prices, employee salaries, mental health and other problems. As the soul of Starbucks, interim CEO Howard Schultz returned as interim CEO in early April to help Starbucks solve a new round of financial and management "crisis".

Before the reunification, due to the continuing epidemic, Starbucks employees began to "rebel" because of dissatisfaction with the shortage of staff in the store and the fact that their income was not proportional to their workforce. in many places, employees joined trade unions and asked to negotiate directly with Starbucks. At the same time, due to the changes in supply and demand in the global market, rising prices of beverage raw materials and inflation have led to rising costs, Starbucks has entered an "endless cycle" in terms of operation, finance and employee management.

As a result, Howard stopped the stock recovery program on the first day of the return and plans to allocate the money for stock recovery to employee benefits and store operations.

Howard did not take a tough approach to the continuous actions of the trade union, but both hard and soft, hoping that employees would change their minds. For example, according to federal law, Starbucks cannot unilaterally change the salaries and benefits of union members and the operating funds of union stores. I hope to take this opportunity to let employees choose their own future path.

But as an interim CEO, Howard stressed that he would not stay at Starbucks for long. "We need to make up for the lack of experience and expertise in many aspects for the future of the company," Howard said in a recent media interview. "

Howard believes that Starbucks' current problems are partly due to the company's own factors. Therefore, in the more than two months since his return to the motherland, he has asked some company elders to leave in order to make room for new people. In May, Starbucks said its head of human resources and two vice presidents in charge of public affairs and public policy would leave, two of whom had worked at Starbucks for more than 15 years.

The other part is because of the COVID-19 epidemic to accelerate the change of consumer behavior. "No CEO can fully anticipate these challenges, and Starbucks needs to rethink its operating model." Howard said. So he is looking for managers outside Starbucks to be the next CEO, but the move has led many investors and former management employees to doubt whether Howard can let Starbucks go in the future.

To that end, Schultz says he is encouraged by the diversity and quality of candidates for the existing CEO position, and his only concern is the success of the next CEO. At the same time, it said that the next CEO will be elected this autumn, and if all goes well, Howard will end his post as interim CEO after the results in the first quarter of next year and will remain on the company's board of directors.

Photo Source: Internet

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