SHANGHAI, China – China to Britney: Come perform -- but watch the revealing outfits.
China's Culture Ministry has approved Britney Spears' (search) first China tour, but they want to know what she's wearing before she hits the stage, the semiofficial China News Service reported Tuesday.
Spears, who is currently on a world tour to promote her latest album "In The Zone, (search)" is scheduled to perform five concerts in Shanghai and Beijing sometime next year, CNS said.
However, ministry officials are concerned about the star's sexy image and have asked the concert's Chinese organizers to guarantee she doesn't show too much skin on stage, CNS said.
"Relevant departments will carry out strict reviews of Britney Spears' performance clothing," the report said.
It wasn't clear what standards inspectors will use or how they would be enforced. A spokesman for Spears could not be immediately reached.
The CNS report quoted an unidentified spokesman for the concert's Chinese organizers as saying that the ministry's wishes would be respected.
But he said Spears' outfits and stage show are the same on each stop of the tour and it would be "impossible to make up clothes specially for the China performances."
With more than 54 million records sold worldwide, Spears would be one of the biggest international pop stars to play here since the communist state was established in 1949.
Last November, pop singer Mariah Carey (search) played pair of concerts in Shanghai, while British hard rockers Deep Purple performed in Beijing and Shanghai in March.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox