China wary of Britney's flesh show

Britney Spears will be allowed to take her Onyx Hotel tour to China, the Chinese Culture Ministry confirmed yesterday but it wants to know what she will wear while performing.

Britney Spears will be allowed to take her Onyx Hotel tour to China, the Chinese Culture Ministry confirmed yesterday but it wants to know what she will wear while performing.

"Relevant departments will carry out strict reviews of Britney Spears' performance clothing," the official Chinese News service said. Ministry officials are said to be concerned about the star's sexy image and asked organisers to guarantee she does not show "too much skin" on stage.

In the show, the star simulates sex acts. A spokesman for Chinese organisers said the minstry's wishes would be respected, but added that the Spears' outfits and stage show are the same for each part of the tour and it would be "impossible to make up clothes specially for the China performances".

Spears, who has sold more than 54 million records, would be one of the biggest international pop stars to play in China. Her five-concert tour in Shanghai and Beijing next year is to promote her latest album In the Zone .

The Culture Ministry's fears of a scantily-clad Britney corrupting the morals of Chinese youth may be misplaced. Her performance on the British leg of her tour at Wembley arena was described in this newpaper as having "all the sexual charisma of a soft toy".