China Bars Entry For Canada's Miss World Contestant Anastasia Lin Reportedly Due To Her Human Rights Stance

Chinese-born Anastasia Lin, who is representing Canada for the 65th annual Miss World, was reportedly barred from entering China where the pageant will be held. New York Times reported Nov. 26 that the 25-year-old Miss World contestant was reportedly disallowed to get a Chinese visa.

According to reports, Lin was denied to enter China allegedly because of her open advocacy for human rights and religious freedom in the country where she was born. On Thursday, Lin was barred to board a plane bound to Sanya from Hong Kong.

"My denial was unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected," Lin said in a dispatch, as noted by The Star on the same day.

Canada's contender said she was not given a reason for the prohibition, however, Lin believed the Chinese government blocked her because of her stand and advocacy.

"The Chinese government has barred me from the competition for political reasons. They are trying to punish me for my beliefs and prevent me from speaking out about human rights issues," she said.

Lin also shared she is not the only one who has experienced the matter as "the Chinese government has used the threat of visa denials to punish dissidents or anyone with unapproved views, and to bring academics and journalists to heel."

In addition, Lin revealed she did not receive an invitation letter from the organizers of Miss World unlike other contenders.

"I was never given an explanation as to why I did not receive the letter. Under Chinese law, however, Canadian citizens are eligible to obtain a landing visa upon arrival in Sanya, so I decided to try attending anyway."

She continued, "The slogan of the Miss World competition is 'Beauty with a purpose.' My purpose is to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves - those who suffer in prisons and labor camps, or whose voices have been stifled by repression and censorship.  I also want to give courage to all people living under repressive systems. Many of them have lived in fear for so long that they have forgotten that they can think freely."

"This is a very personal cause for me. When I was a child growing up in China, my job as a student council president involved enforcing ideological purity among my classmates, organizing them to watch Communist propaganda."

Lin added that moving to Canada has taught her what freedom is all about.

"It was only after I moved to Canada that I discovered what it meant to think freely, to use my own mind, and to live without fear of arbitrary punishment or reprisal," she said.