On Friday, the Municipal Bureau of Culture in Beijing has responded into inquiries of fans regarding the possibility of Canadian pop star Justin Bieber performing in the country for his 'Purpose' world tour.
According to the announcement posted on the agency's website, Bieber's lifestyle overseas and his "words and actions" in his last Chinese concert has generated "public dissatisfaction." It also said that they are trying their best to "purify" the performing environment in China and that bringing in artists with bad behavior would work against this initiative.
The announcement also said, "We hope Justin Bieber will continue to improve his behavior as part of his growth, and become a singer truly loved by the public."
The comment posted by the Municipal Bureau of Culture has raised several questions regarding its implications to Bieber's future performances in China, whether he has been banned or if the singer has already sought application to perform around China but had been given a refusal. It also did not detail as to why the singer cannot tour the country and what 'bad behavior' the star has committed in his previous visit.
In 2013, Bieber has been shown on stage stripping to reveal his bare torso, carried up to the Great Wall of China and riding a segway shirtless in media coverages throughout the star's visit.
This is not the only time the Canadian singer's behavior has been cited by authorities, which clearly deviated from his innocent persona when he entered showbiz in his teenage years. In 2014, for instance, he posted a photo of him visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Japan. Although the photo has been removed, it has accumulated 660,000 likes in Instagram and has been retweeted worldwide by his 50 million followers in Twitter.
The rumors of Justin Bieber's return to China for a world tour was reported by Chinese media in January, however, no dates have been announced. So far, the singer is scheduled to perform in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines as part of the "Purpose World Tour".
Aside from Bieber, other top celebrities blocked from performing in China include Bjork, Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga. All three have expressed their support and met with exiled Dalai Lama.
