China's Starbucks in Forbidden City imperial palace shut down after protests

BEIJING (AP) - China's imperial palace has closed its Starbucks outlet following protests led by a state TV personality against the coffeehouse's presence at a major Chinese cultural site, news reports said Saturday.

The small outlet, a popular resting spot for visitors to the sprawling Forbidden City in central Beijing, closed Friday afternoon, the Beijing Morning Post and other newspapers reported.

The Starbucks opened in 2000 at the invitation of palace managers, but critics said it was inappropriate for the site.

Palace managers offered Starbucks the option of continuing to operate as part of a combined coffeehouse with other brands but the Seattle-based company declined, the Post said.