Under Culver's leadership, Starbucks has continued to expand across the Asia Pacific region, which consists of Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. The company is also planning to expand into India and Vietnam later this year. As for the competition that Starbucks faces in China, Shen cites McDonald's as one candidate, "but probably not the major one [because] McDonalds' coffee is much cheaper and attracts different segments of consumers…. Currently, major competition comes from similar coffee chain stores from Taiwan and Japan, with some well-known brands. Competitors also include bakery stores that serve high-quality coffee. Many independently owned local coffee shops also are starting to populate the large cities. They typically have a very unique style and beautiful atmosphere," attracting the same type of consumer that Starbucks is targeting. "The local competition," Shen adds, "is intensifying."