List of people banned from entering China
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable people who have been, or are currently, banned from entering China by the governing Chinese Communist Party.[1][2]
Currently banned
| Individual | Nationality | Occupation | Reason banned |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Alton |  United Kingdom |
Politician | Spreading "lies and disinformation" about the country, according to the Chinese government.[3] |
| Steve Bannon |  United States |
Former White House chief strategist under the first presidency of Donald Trump (2017) | "Planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves, gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations."[4] |
| Margarete Bause |  Germany |
Politician | Vocal supporter of the Muslim Uighur minorities and asking the German government to support sending UN observers to Xinjiang province.[5] |
| Björk |  Iceland |
Singer | Shouted "Tibet, Tibet" at the end of a performance of "Declare Independence". |
| John Bolton | United States |
Former US ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006) and United States National Security Advisor (2018–2019) | "Planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves, gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations."[4] |
| Jon Bon Jovi | Singer | Used an image of the Dalai Lama during a concert.[6] | |
| James W. Carr | Former commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom | Retaliation for U.S. sanctioning officials over human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.[7] | |
| Cheng Ying-yao |  Taiwan |
Minister of Education (since 2024) | Supporter of Taiwan's independence.[8] |
| Ker Chien-ming | Majority Leader of the Legislative Yuan | ||
| Ted Cruz | United States |
United States senator from Texas (since 2013) | Critical of the Chinese Communist Party's policies toward minority groups and people of faith.[9] |
| Miley Cyrus | Singer and actress | Took a picture where she pulled her skin back around her eyes, which was construed as racist against Asians.[1] | |
| Harrison Ford | Actor | Outspoken support for Tibet.[1] | |
| Noel Gallagher | United Kingdom |
Singer | Performed in a two-day Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York in 1997; deemed as an "enemy of the people".[10] |
| Ursula Gauthier |  France |
Journalist | Published an article about Uyghurs in Xinjiang which Chinese government officials disapproved of.[11] |
| Richard Gere | United States |
Actor | Outspoken support for Tibet and criticism of the Chinese Communist Party.[1] |
| Nus Ghani | United Kingdom |
Politician | Spreading "lies and disinformation" about the country, according to the Chinese government.[3] |
| Selena Gomez | United States |
Singer | Shared a photo of her and the Dalai Lama together on social media.[1] |
| Gigi Hadid | Model | Visa revoked after an online video showed her doing a slant-eyes gesture in imitation of Buddha.[12] | |
| Clive Hamilton |  Australia |
Public intellectual | Retaliation for Australia banning visas of two Chinese academics.[13] |
| Jay-Z | United States |
Rapper | Constant use of vulgar language in music, according to the former Chinese Culture Ministry.[14] |
| Alex Joske | Australia |
Author | Retaliation for Australia banning visas of two Chinese academics.[13] |
| Lady Gaga | United States |
Singer | Music being too vulgar and meeting with the Dalai Lama.[15] |
| Anastasia Lin |  Canada |
Model and human rights activist | Outspoken on human rights abuses in China, particularly against the Chinese Communist Party.[16] |
| Perry Link | United States |
Scholar & professor at the University of California, Riverside | Outspoken on human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party and having written essays on the Tiananman Square protests.[17][18] |
| Liu Shyh-fang | Taiwan |
Minister of the Interior (since 2024) | Supporter of Taiwan's independence.[8] |
| Tim Loughton | United Kingdom |
Politician and Member of Parliament (1997–2024) | Accusing the Chinese government for committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims.[19] |
| Nadine Maenza | United States |
Former Chairwoman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom | Retaliation for U.S. sanctioning officials over human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.[7] |
| Franco Mella |  Italy |
Roman Catholic priest and Hong Kong activist. | Linked to rising tensions between the Chinese government and the Holy See.[20] |
| Andrew J. Nathan | United States |
Professor | Connection with The Tiananmen Papers[21] |
| Neil O'Brien | United Kingdom |
Politician and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Primary Care and Public Health (2022–2023) | Spreading "lies and disinformation" about the country, according to the Chinese government.[3] |
| Namewee |  Malaysia |
Singer (2007–present) | Wee has since been banned in mainland China as a result of the song and music video "Fragile" (Chinese: 玻璃心), a collaboration with Taiwan-based Australian singer Kimberley Chen which went viral in October 2021.[22] |
| James Paterson | Australia |
Senator of Victoria (since 2016) | Critical of Chinese actions towards the Uighurs in Xinjiang province as well as attempting to influence opinion about China within Australia.[23][24][25] |
| Andrew Hastie | MP (since 2015) | [23] | |
| Mike Pompeo | United States |
Former CIA director (2017–2018) and United States secretary of state (2018–2021) | "Planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves, gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations."[4] |
| Iain Duncan Smith | United Kingdom |
Former Leader of the Conservative Party (2001–2003) | Accusing the Chinese government for committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims.[26] |
| David Thewlis | Actor | Starred in the movie Seven Years in Tibet.[27] | |
| Francis Tolentino |  Philippines |
Former Senate majority leader (2024–2025) and Acting Secretary of Labor and Employment | Advancing the Philippines' interests in the South China Sea dispute.[28] |
| Nury Turkel | United States |
Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom | Retaliation for U.S. sanctioning officials over human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.[7] |
| Miles Yu | Historian | Retaliation for U.S. sanctioning two officials over human rights abuses in Tibet.[29] | |
| Zedd | Germany Russia |
DJ and record producer | Liked a tweet from South Park's official account.[30] |
| Nigel Ng | Malaysia |
Comedian | Nigel Ng was banned in China over the weekend after he made jokes about China and its censorship regime, also having his social media accounts banned on Chinese social media websites Weibo and Bilibili due to the “violation of relevant laws and regulations.”[31] |
| Gilberto Teodoro | Philippines |
Secretary of National Defense | For "erroneous remarks" made by Gilberto Teodoro undermining Chinese sovereignty interest and the China–Philippines relations. Includes his wife Monica Prieto and their child.[32][33] |
| Monica Prieto | Philippine special envoy to UNICEF |
Previously banned
| Individual | Nationality | Occupation | Reason banned | Ban lifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jean-Jacques Annaud | France |
Director | Directed the movie Seven Years in Tibet. | 2012[34] |
| Bob Dylan | United States |
Singer | Chinese authorities argued that his countercultural long-held status was potentially damaging. | 2011 (ban applied in 2010)[35] |
| Helmut Martin | Germany |
Sinologist | Criticism of the Chinese Communist Party.[36] | 1999 (deceased) |
| Melissa Mathison | United States |
Screenwriter | Activism for Tibet and writer of the movie Kundun, which portrayed the Chinese Communist Party negatively. | 2015 (deceased) |
| Brad Pitt | Actor | Starred in Seven Years in Tibet. | 2014[37] | |
| Martin Scorsese | Director | Directed Kundun, which portrayed the Chinese Communist Party negatively. | 2012[38] | |
| Elliot Sperling | Historian | Wrote an essay in support of detained Uyghur professor Ilham Tohti. | 2017 (deceased)[39] | |
| Marco Rubio | United States senator from Florida (2011–2025) and United States secretary of state (since 2025) | Critical of the Chinese Communist Party's policies toward minority groups and people of faith.[9] | 2026[40] |