Against the intensifying protests and criticism, a spokesperson of the Forbidden City museum explained that the opening of a Starbucks outlet in the palace is to provide a service, such as drinks and food to tourists. If the outlet created any conflict that impacted on the cultural value and protection of the ancient structures, the museum said it would drop the business immediately. The museum is reportedly now in consultation with Starbucks to reach a new agreement that will decide the future destiny of the coffee shop.

This is not the first time a foreign food outlet located in one of China's cultural compounds has raised controversy. The administrators of Beihai Park, a royal garden in Beijing, did not renew their contract with Kentucky Fried Chicken in 2003, when its previous 10-year contract was due, under pressure of mounting criticism from the public.

The Beijing News commented that, fundamentally, the Starbucks in the Forbidden City annoys people who do not agree that the flagrant disregard for the integrity of tradition is the only way culture can survive in modern society. The paper said people should be more focused on how to preserve authenticity and uniqueness of a nation's tradition in the accelerated pace of globalization.

Doesn't fit in

Rui Chenggang: When visiting a big place like China's Forbidden City, we do indeed need some places where we can stop to have a rest and get something to eat and drink. The small snack shops available are helpful. But not Starbucks. Though localized and adjusted to fit into the surroundings and environment, it is substantially the symbol of another culture and widely regarded as American style. It can therefore never be integrated into the Forbidden City.

Nearly 3 million articles and comments about the Starbucks outlet in the Forbidden City can be found in Google, accompanied by a number of photos. Even Western intellectuals feel upset about a coffee shop built in the ancient Chinese palace that they think may ruin the integrity of the place and shows disrespect toward China's ancient civilization.

Xie Ninggao (Dean of the World Cultural Heritage Research Center, Peking University): World cultural heritage sites need dynamic commercial promotion. Without this, the ancient towns in Pingyao, north China's Shanxi Province, and Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, would not be so popular.

But it is not the same with the Forbidden City. First of all, we should preserve its authenticity and integrity. Any exploitation of functioning architecture in the palace should be based on feasibility studies by experts on whether the new building will ruin the aesthetic and natural beauty of the architecture, and then approval from the administrative departments. Perhaps visitors can be asked to bring their own food and drinks in a bid to avoid setting up cafes and snack shops.

Lin Jinfang (Beijing Youth Daily): The Starbucks in the Forbidden City is a symbol of Western cultural invasion, characterized by commercialization and materialism. Against the backdrop of globalization and buzz of booming business, cultural heritage is daily threatened and disappearing. The value of the Forbidden City should not be destroyed by a small coffee shop and the continuity of tradition and preservation of cultural essence should always be the top priority.

As Rui said, the Starbucks in the Forbidden City doesn't resonate with its surroundings. The palace is famed for its ancient architecture, so why should the restaurant that serves as a place to rest and enjoy something to drink be a brand typical of American food culture? I am not a cultural fundamentalist, but emotionally, it is unacceptable that a Western-style coffee shop is in a palace that is upheld as the essence of China's ancient civilization. It is like having a Chinese wedding ceremony in a Western church.

Xiao Chang (hlj.rednet.cn): Commercial business, if properly handled, can be a crucial fundraising channel for protection work over cultural relics, and will drive the further exploitation of tourism resources. Despite the fact that cultural relics on their own do not always attract large numbers of visitors, promoting these sites excessively and reaping high financial rewards can also indicate a high cost on the overexploitation of historical sites.

I understand well why Rui said the Starbucks in the Forbidden City is scoffed at by Westerners. The shortsighted administration lacks a conscience and is blind to historical integrity and relics protection. We should be very cautious about every step we take in exploring the value of historical relics, because it could easily backfire.

Providing a service