Beijing Refuses Permit for Bob Dylan

Jakarta Globe, April 05, 2010

Musician Bob Dylan has cancelled part of his Asian tour due to the Chinese Ministry of Culture's refusal to allow him to perform in the country. (AFP Photo)

Bob Dylan has canceled several legs of an Asian tour after Beijing refused to give him permission to perform in China, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Dylan originally planned to play in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, following his multicity tour of Japan last month, the Sunday Morning Post said. Tour organizer, Taiwan-based Brokers Brothers Herald, announced in January that Dylan would be performing in Hong Kong on April 8, but there was little subsequent promotion, the report said.

“China’s Ministry of Culture did not give us permission to stage concerts in Beijing and Shanghai, so we had no alternative but to scrap plans for a Southeast Asian tour,” Jeffrey Wu, the promoter’s chief of operations, was quoted as saying. 

AFP