Beijing/Hong Kong —

Nearly three decades ago, Starbucks opened its first outlet in China with much fanfare, involving a troupe performing a traditional “golden lion” dance and eager customers trying cappuccinos made with steaming espresso machines.

The entry of the American brand helped spur the rise of a thriving coffee culture among the burgeoning middle class of a country that traditionally drank tea, and Starbucks soon became a symbol of Western influence in a more affluent China.

At one point the Seattle-founded coffee giant was opening a new store every 15 hours in China as it rode the wave of the country’s economic boom –– making the market a cornerstone of the US company’s global strategy.

But that’s all about to change, with Starbucks announcing on Monday that it will

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