Starbucks opened its first store in mainland China in 1999.
The first mainland Chinese Starbucks opened in Beijing at the China World Shopping Mall. This entry made China one of Starbucks’ earliest Asian markets after the company’s 1996 arrival in Japan. Starbucks later expanded across Chinese cities through a combination of company-operated stores and licensed or joint-venture arrangements.
China became a particularly important market for Starbucks because of its large urban population and rapidly developing café culture. The company adapted store design, food offerings, and partnerships while maintaining its familiar beverage menu and brand identity.
The phrase “mainland China” matters in this question. Starbucks had separate early expansion milestones in other Chinese-speaking markets, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. The 1999 date refers specifically to the first Starbucks location in mainland China, not every Chinese market.