Christian Dior has removed ads featuring Sharon Stone from stores in China after the actress suggested the country’s earthquake was “bad karma” for Beijing’s policies in Tibet.

At least 68,000 people died in the May 12 earthquake. Stone has a modeling contract with the cosmetics arm of the luxury retailer.

“Due to some customer reaction we have decided to pull her image from all of the department stores and from all of China,” Christian Dior China said in a statement.

“We just want our customers and fans to realize that her personal comments are not related to the company and of course we don’t support any type of commentary that will hurt the feelings of our customers,” Dior said.

China’s Foreign Ministry also weighed in on the controversy.

“We hope that as an American actress she can contribute to our two people’s trust, understanding and friendship,” spokesman Qin Gang said.

In Stone’s initial remarks made on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival, she called the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism — whom China reviles as a traitor — a “good friend”.

After mentioning the Tibet unrest she said in the comment replayed on video-sharing Web site YouTube: “And then all this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and I thought, is that karma — when you’re not nice that the bad things happen to you?”

Chinese bloggers, who were particularly active in criticizing the West over its attitude towards Tibet, have exploded in anger over Stone’s comments.

“Don’t give any attention to this old lady — don’t watch her movies, don’t buy the products she represents,” read one. Another called her a “dirty swine”.

In response to a China Daily story on Stone, one reader wrote, “All Chinese should boycott her to let her know our power … She should go to hell.”