Pitchfork

At a March concert in Shanghai, China, Björk took time out from Volta's "Declare Independence" to shout out "Tibet!" Tibet has been under Chinese rule for nearly 60 years now, and the arrangement has never been without its share of controversy. Shortly after the incident with Björk, the Chinese Ministry of Culture issued a statement claiming her outburst "broke Chinese law and hurt Chinese people's feelings," with an additional suggestion that the nation would increase restrictions on foreign performers.

This week, the Chinese government made good on that suggestion with a declaration of its own: as noted in a Reuters report, all overseas entertainers (including those from Hong Kong and Taiwan) posing a threat to China's sovereignty will be banned from peforming in China.

A statement on the Ministry of Culture's website and quoted by Reuters reads: "Any artistic group or individual who [has] ever engaged in activities that threaten national sovereignty will not be allowed in." What's more, any entertainers who "threaten national unity," "whip up ethnic hatred," "violate religious policy or cultural norms," or "advocate obscenity or feudalism and superstition" during live events will also be banned from performance.

Beijing has also banned pop festivals and tightened the rules for approval of outdoor events in advance of this summer's Olympics in and around the city. "Nothing that has not been approved will be allowed to be performed," the Ministry of Culture said-- even encores.

So if you've ever learned the Mandarin word for "Freebird", you can probably forget it now.