SHANGHAI -- US coffee giant Starbucks has now opened more than 7,000 stores on the Chinese mainland, Starbucks China said on Wednesday.

During a conference call on Wednesday, Belinda Wong, chairperson and CEO of Starbucks China, said that in January 2024, the company had achieved a milestone in the Chinese mainland market by surpassing 7,000 stores, while adding that Starbucks is dedicated to reaching its goal of 9,000 mainland stores by 2025.

The year 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Starbucks entering the Chinese mainland market. Wong said Starbucks will accelerate its expansion into more communities, aiming to provide high-quality coffee and the unique Starbucks experience to a broader range of Chinese customers.

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said in the call that Starbucks' development in China is demonstrating strong momentum, and the company aims to be the best in China's premium coffee market.