Bob Dylan's planned performances in Shanghai and Beijing would have been his first in mainland China. (Jeff Christensen/Associated Press)

Bob Dylan's tour of eastern Asia has been cancelled after Chinese officials refused to let him perform in Beijing and Shanghai.

Jeffrey Wu of the Taiwan-based promoters Brokers Brothers Herald said China's Ministry of Culture is likely wary of a counterculture figure like Dylan in the wake of an incident by Icelandic singer Bjork.

Two years ago, Bjork caused an uproar when she shouted pro-Tibet remarks at a concert in Shanghai.

The dates in China would have marked the 68-year-old Dylan's first concerts in mainland China.

He did manage a slate of shows in Japan through out March, ending the month with a concert in Seoul on March 31st, before abandoning the rest of his east Asia tour with more stops in South Korea,Taiwan and Hong Kong. Wu told the South China Morning Post that all those dates are now scrapped.

"The chance to play in China was the main attraction for him. When that fell through everything else was called off," Wu told the newspaper.

"What Bjork did definitely made life very difficult for other performers. They are very wary of what will be said by performers on stage now."'

Bjork shouted "Tibet! Tibet!" after performing a song called Declare Independence at her Shanghai concert.

The British band Oasis was denied entry in 2009 and ruled "unsuitable" for Chinese audiences because the lead guitarist and songwriter, Noel Gallagher, had appeared at a Tibet freedom concert 12 years earlier.

Dylan first made a name for himself with politically charged tunes including The Times They Are A-Changin' and the anti-war anthem Blowin' in the Wind.

China has insisted that Tibet has been part of its territory for 700 years and invaded shortly after the 1949 communist revolution. China's rule over Tibet has brought condemnation from foreign governments and activists.