China Bans Björk, Other Entertainers

China will not allow into the country any foreign entertainers whom it deems a threat to its own national sovereignty, defined as a likelihood to "whip up ethnic hatred," "violate religious policy or cultural norms," or "advocate obscenity or feudalism and superstition," Reuters reported Thursday.

The decision was announced in response to a politically provocative act by the Icelandic singer Björk, who shouted, "Tibet, Tibet," to crowds at a concert in Shanghai.

China has a history of condemning performers from the regions of Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the lead-up to the Summer Olympics, Beijing has made its standards even stricter, banning pop festivals and requiring other outdoor performances to get advance approval.