Local media had flagged the gig, her first in China, as "Bjork's Shanghai Surprise," and the diminutive pop star certainly lived up to the billing.

Sunday's incident was not reported on state media, but it did prompt outraged responses on bulletin boards and blogs.

It is just such outbursts that the Chinese government is hoping to avoid at August's Olympic Games in Beijing.

Bjork, who performed in the ceremonies at the Athens Games, uses the song "Declare Independence" to highlight political issues.

The issue of Tibet is rarely discussed in China. The People's Liberation Army occupied Tibet in 1950, and Beijing has kept a tight grip on it ever since.

Hollywood stars including Richard Gere have taken high-profile stances backing the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)