No reason was given, but media reports suggest that censors discovered the US rock band had used an image of the Dalai Lama as a backdrop at a gig five years ago.

 

China has previously banned artists like Bjork, as well as academics and politicians, who have shown support for the Dalai Lama or Tibetan independence.

Maroon 5 recently had shows cancelled.

 

The band, whose hits include Moves Like Jagger and She Will Be Loved, were also due to perform in China this month. The cancellation of their concerts was linked to a band member tweeting the Dalai Lama to wish him happy birthday in July.

 

Bon Jovi had been due to play Shanghai and Beijing next week.

 

The Financial Times reported the Communist party's Culture Ministry acted after discovering Bon Jovi had performed in front of a picture of the Tibetan monk at a 2010 concert in Taiwan, and had previously tweeted about the spiritual leader. It said concert organisers AEG were trying to convince officials to relent, but they felt the chances were slim.

Leaders in China have called the Dalai Lama a "splittist" and a "wolf in monk's robes".