Miss World contestant Anastasia Lin accused of being allied with 'hostile forces' after China ban

A Miss World contestant has been criticised by Chinese state media, which accused her of being allied with "hostile forces".

Chinese-born Anastasia Lin, 25, claims she was barred from China for political reasons last week when she tried to enter the country for the beauty pageant.

The Miss Canada 2015 winner was criticised in the Chinese Communist Party-linked Global Times, which accused her of trying to "gain sympathy from the Western public that already holds prejudices against China" and said: "She may not know that all performers should avoid being involved in radical political issues."

Lin testified in July at a US congressional hearing on the persecution of religious groups in China, and is a member of the Falun Gong sect, which is banned in China.

"Lin needs to learn to be responsible for her words and deeds, and for the possible consequences of the path chosen based on her own values," proclaimed the editorial.

After being prevented from flying to the southern Chinese island of Hainan where the pageant is being held on 19 December, Lin accused China of being "afraid of a beauty queen" and vowed to continue her fight against human rights abuses.

Lin, who has also criticised Chinese policy in Tibet, joins actors Brad Pitt, Christian Bale and Richard Gere, who have been barred from entering China after criticising the Chinese government.