Bob Dylan denied permission by Chinese officials to tour east Asia

Singer/songwriter Bob Dylan had to call off his planned tour of east Asia after Chinese officials refused him permission to play in Beijing and Shanghai.

Dylan, 68, who, in the past, was an icon of the counterculture movement, is being seen as a threat by China's ministry of culture, revealed Jeffrey Wu, of the Taiwan-based promoters Brokers Brothers Herald.

According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, Wu said that Icelandic singer/songwriter Bjork could also be blamed for the decision to ban Dylan, as she had caused consternation among Chinese officials two years ago by shouting pro-Tibet slogans at a concert in Shanghai.

Dylan had hoped to play his first dates in mainland China, and to take his Never Ending Tour to Japan, with concerts in Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

"With Beijing and China ruled out, it was not possible for him just to play concerts in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan," the Guardian quoted Wu as saying.

"The chance to play in China was the main attraction for him. When that fell through everything else was called off," he added.

Wu said officials had become more cautious since Björk chanted "Tibet! Tibet!" after performing a song called Declare Independence in Shanghai in 2008.

China has ruled Tibet since invading it in 1950 and views the Himalayan territory as an integral part of its national territory.

"What Björk did definitely made life very difficult for other performers. They are very wary of what will be said by performers on stage now," Wu stated.