Prague Philharmonic tour of China cancelled over Beijing's row with Czech mayor

A China tour by Prague’s Philharmonic Orchestra has officially been cancelled due to a feud between the mayor of the Czech capital and Beijing.

Mayor Zdenek Hřib (Pirate Party) has long been a vocal supporter of Taiwan and Tibet. Since taking office a year ago, he has also pushed the removal of a clause in a Prague-Beijing cooperation agreement requiring the Czech capital to respect the “one-China policy”.

The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra had said in June its planned September tour of China would probably not take place as authorities there had postponed it indefinitely, without explanation.