By now, I’d like to think America, and most of the world, has accepted Justin Bieber’s apology for generally being an asshole. He put out a redemption album full of bangers and hasn’t peed in a bucket in years. But one country that certainly has not forgiven the Biebs for being a little shithead is China.
A statement by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture reportedly released this week confirmed that Bieber is not allowed to perform anywhere in China. “Justin Bieber is a gifted singer, but he is also a controversial young foreign singer,” the statement reads, going on to say the Chinese “performance environment” needs to be pure. “We hope that as Justin Bieber matures, he can continue to improve his own words and actions, and truly become a singer beloved by the public.”
Bieber is currently on his Purpose World Tour, which has kept the 23-year-old singer performing for what feels like a hundred years. According to the New York Times, the Chinese government issued the statement after a fan asked why he wasn’t allowed to perform in the country. But the truth is China might actually have beef with Bieber for good reasons. This is the young man who was carried by bodyguards on the Great Wall and posed with a controversial Japanese shrine.
Maybe, for China, it really is too late to say sorry now?