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Bjork gig leads to ban

Chinese authorities to clamp down on overseas acts

07 Mar 2008 - Chinese authorities are threatening to clamp down on foreign performers after Bjork’s recent outburst during a concert in Shanghai.

China’s Culture Ministry posted a statement on their website, highlighting their disapproval of the singer’s decision to shout “Tibet! Tibet!” after performing the track Declare Independence during her gig in Shanghai on 2 March.

The Ministry stated that Bjork’s "political show has not only broken Chinese laws and regulations and hurt the feelings of Chinese people, but also went against the professional code of an artist.”

China will now impose restrictions on foreign acts performing in the country: “We will further tighten controls on foreign artists performing in China in order to prevent similar cases from happening in the future.”

“We will further tighten controls on foreign artists performing in China in order to prevent similar cases from happening in the future.”
- Chinese Culture Ministry

Bjork’s comments attracted political attention given the sensitivity associated with China’s 58 year rule over Tibet. The Culture Ministry said: “there is no country that admits that Tibet is an 'independent country.”

Bjork dedicated Declare Independence to Kosovo after a gig in Japan last month.

Despite the row, the organiser of Serbia's EXIT festival has given Bjork has an open invitation to play at the event this year.

She is yet to comment on the Chinese Culture Ministry’s statement.

Jacqueline Springer

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Comments so far

namlha of tibet
brave gal!you are such marvellous!god bless you!

Bubica,Belgrade
Of course she has no idea what she is talking about.I am from Serbia and if she knew that the people who directed the 9/11 were the same people who ilegaly took Kosovo,would she speak the same?

Nota Bjorkfan
Plz read more about history, Plzzz..Or just make your own music..This crazy just can tell a little more about "freedom", no matter one fact aboout Kosovo or Tibet ...She just shout like a hooker without conscious."i am first and last a musician and as such i feel my duty to try to express the whole range of human emotions.""lee coleman , london UK .This idiot of a woman also made comments on kosovo independence ... she has not one clue what she is even talking about , she just wants to be controversial and riske ... but she has proven herself to be truly ignorant and boring . maybe someone should divide up her country by force and the artic monkeys can shout out support at there next gig ? "

Duffy
Good for you Bjork! I'm not sure why the world continues to trade and do business with China. We were all told during the Cold War that the reason we didn't trade with the Soviet Union was because they were Communists. What changed? Oh yeah, maybe we are just more greedy. Way to go Bjork. At least you have a spine - unlike many other Western leaders.

Peter, Dublin.
"The Culture Ministry said: “there is no country that admits that Tibet is an 'independent country.”"Of course. Because our politicans (who are supposed to represent us) don't have the ability to speak... seems they've got some sort of disability in that department.Well done Bjork.

lee coleman , london UK .
This idiot of a woman also made comments on kosovo independence ... she has not one clue what she is even talking about , she just wants to be controversial and riske ... but she has proven herself to be truly ignorant and boring . maybe someone should divide up her country by force and the artic monkeys can shout out support at there next gig ?

M&M FNQ
I didn't know artists had a professional code, god help us if they ever do.........also, I'd like to hear from any chinese people whose feelings were hurt over this?

Charlotte, London
If she feels that strongly why on earth was she performing in china?

Bob in China
What an idiot

Grazza Aberdeen
A small lady from a small country can cause such a storm in a corrupt hypocritical country like China. They should try feeding their poor and stop pretending they are a country for the people!

CS Haslemere
What do you mean 'outburst'? How about 'proclamation' or 'plea'?

Nathan Pledger, Isle of Man
Nice one, Bjork. Dry mouthed weak politicians don't have the balls to stand up to China. Good for her for both Kosovo and Tibet. Stand up to China and Russia before it's too late.

Spir-An, Nottingham
"hurt the feeling of Chinese people" - is anyone in China really crying about this? "there is no country that admits that Tibet is an 'independent country'" - 'admits' being the operative word, they won't ADMIT it because it would lead to sanctions from China, but it's true.

Ariel, YNC
YEAH! God bless her for having the courage to do something even politicians don't seem to have the bollocks to do. Why isn't there a link to the Chinese Culture Ministry's website here? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind, the --and I'm sure I'm not alone.