Justin Bieber Banned From Performing in China for "Bad Behavior"

Grammy winner won't be appearing in Beijing any time soon

By Samantha Schnurr Jul 21, 2017 7:36 PMTags

China is sending a message to Justin Bieber: it's too late to say sorry. 

As the 23-year-old Grammy winner wraps up his Purpose World Tour, Beijing officials have made it clear that the Canadian native is not welcome on the country's stages any time soon. 

According to multiple reports and translations, a Chinese Believer contacted the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture to inquire about why Bieber has not had any shows scheduled in the Chinese capital. 

"Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer," the bureau said in a statement shared online.

"In order to maintain order in the Chinese market and purify the Chinese performance environment, it is not suitable to bring in badly behaved entertainers," the statement continued. "We hope that as Justin Bieber matures, he can continue to improve his own words and actions, and truly become a singer beloved by the public."

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Stars Who've Dissed Justin Bieber
Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The statement did not cite any behavior or incident in particular. However, the singer has faced some controversy in China at times in his career. In 2013, he caught some flack for getting around the Wall of China on the shoulders of his bodyguards. The following year, he sparked backlash when he Instagrammed a photo of Toyko's Yasukuni Shrine, a structure that is controversial in the country because it honors Japanese criminals who committed horrific acts against China and other parts of Asia during World War II. "Thank you for your blessings," he captioned the shot. After learning of the shrine's history, he issued an apology. 

Currently, according to Bieber's website, the star has upcoming shows in Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Tokyo, but nothing for Beijing is listed. 

The star joins a growing list of A-list performers the country has taken issue with, including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus