More than a decade after KFC first touted its ambitions in Tibet, the fast-food chain is ready to plant its flag in the only region in China that has eluded its grasp.
KFC is set to launch its first store in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa by the end of next month, according to Yum Brands Inc., which operates the fast-food chain in China.
The move underscores what China touts as widening prosperity in the Himalayan region, where ethnic and religious tensions have festered since the People’s Liberation Army marched into Lhasa in 1950. Many Tibetan exiles criticize what they describe as an iron-fisted Chinese rule, characterized by policies that suppress religious freedom and erode local culture. Beijing maintains that it respects its citizens’ cultural and religious liberties and has long touted Tibet’s economic progress as a marker of good governance.[Source]