INTERVIEW-Starbucks sees no slowdown in China

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By Kirby Chien

BEIJING, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) has not yet seen any impact from the global economic slowdown on its business in China, even as it closes stores in other markets racked by recession, it said on Tuesday.

China accounts for over 350 of Starbucks' global portfolio of 17,000 stores, but is one of its fastest growing markets, Martin Coles, president of Starbucks Coffee International, told Reuters in an interview.

"We have not seen a drop-off at all in the demand for Starbucks in China," he said.

Coles did not give any growth forecast for China, saying only it would take less than 10 years to open the next 350 stores.

"We have seen an acceleration in our (China) business," he said at an event marking the firm's first 10 years in China.

"International is the future engine for our company."