BEIJING — US fast food giant KFC has opened its first restaurant in Tibet, the venue’s property manager said on Wednesday, more than a decade after the chain’s first attempt to establish a foothold ended in controversy.Pictures posted online showed long lines at the counters, and dozens of flower displays and a red carpet outside the premises, in a shopping mall in the regional capital Lhasa."As a diehard fan of KFC, I waited in line for ages, and felt like crying when I took my first lick of my ice cream cone," said one social media user.The opening comes despite campaign groups expressing alarm over the store’s presence when it was announced in December, and the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader and Nobel laureate, previously declaring that the cruel treatment endured by chickens raised and killed for KFC violated Tibetan values.China has ruled majority Buddhist Tibet since the 1950s, where rights groups accuse it of political and religious repression.Beijing insists tha...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.