--- description: No official reason has been given but the band's support of the Dalai Lama is widely thought to be a factor title: Bon Jovi's China Concerts Canceled image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt661a04bf3e1d4195/698862abcf40a8e9fec3f96f/bon-jovi-china.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Bon Jovi's China Concerts Have Been Canceled and Support for the Dalai Lama Could Be the Reason ## Video: The Dalai Lama on China, Tibet and the Nobel Prize [Watch (HLS stream): The Dalai Lama on China, Tibet and the Nobel Prize](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/lnupYhmg.m3u8) (2:59)  _Published 2010-12-27. At a conference of Nobel Peace Laureates in Hiroshima, Japan, TIME.com managing editor Jim Frederick spoke with H.H. the Dalai Lama about peace, China and the future of Tibet_ by [Helen Regan](/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 9, 2015 3:04 AM CUT  Musician Jon Bon Jovi of Bon Jovi performs onstage at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Aug. 22, 2015 Musician Jon Bon Jovi of Bon Jovi performs onstage at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Aug. 22, 2015Andrew Chin—Getty Images by [Helen Regan](/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 9, 2015 3:04 AM CUT Bon Jovi has had [concerts](http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34184537 "undefined") in Beijing and Shanghai canceled by Chinese authorities. The band was due to play in China for the first time ever next week, but organizers AEG Live Asia said Tuesday that the tour dates were unexpectedly pulled with no reason given, reports the BBC. However, the band is the latest in a string of artists who have been banned from China for appearing to show support to the Dalai Lama or Tibetan independence. According to the _Financial Times_, the Communist Party’s Culture Ministry had learned that Bon Jovi had performed in front of a video backdrop featuring the Tibetan spiritual leader during a concert in 2010. Björk was banned from the country for life when she chanted “Tibet, Tibet” during a concert in Shanghai in 2008\. And Maroon 5, who were also due to perform in China this month, were pulled after a band member tweeted happy birthday to the Dalai Lama in July. The issue of Tibet is especially sensitive right now as the Communist Party marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of what it calls the Tibet Autonomous Region. Concert organizers were trying to get officials to change their minds but said chances were slim. \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34184537 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/"},"headline":"Bon Jovi's China Concerts Have Been Canceled and Support for the Dalai Lama Could Be the Reason","datePublished":"2015-09-09T03:04:34.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T10:46:36.759Z","description":"The shows would have been the band's first in China","url":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/","keywords":["Music","China","Censorship","Dalai Lama","Concert"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt661a04bf3e1d4195/698862abcf40a8e9fec3f96f/bon-jovi-china.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Helen Regan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/helen-regan/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt661a04bf3e1d4195/698862abcf40a8e9fec3f96f/bon-jovi-china.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Musician Jon Bon Jovi of Bon Jovi performs onstage at Rogers Arena on August 22, 2015 in Vancouver, Canada.","caption":"Musician Jon Bon Jovi of Bon Jovi performs onstage at Rogers Arena on August 22, 2015 in Vancouver, Canada.","creditText":"Andrew Chin—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/","name":"Bon Jovi's China Concerts Have Been Canceled and Support for the Dalai Lama Could Be the Reason"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The Dalai Lama on China, Tibet and the Nobel Prize","description":"At a conference of Nobel Peace Laureates in Hiroshima, Japan, TIME.com managing editor Jim Frederick spoke with H.H. the Dalai Lama about peace, China and the future of Tibet","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/lnupYhmg/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2010-12-27T20:18:27.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/lnupYhmg.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/","duration":"PT2M59S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4026027/bon-jovi-concert-canceled-china-tibet-dalai-lama/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```