China pop stars face fine for lip-syncing

(Morgan Lane Photography)

Two Chinese pop stars have become the first victims of a ban on the use of lip-syncing in concerts introduced last year following controversy over the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

Starlets Yin Youcan and Fang Ziyuan resorted to miming during a concert they gave in September in the southwest province of Sichuan, the Beijing News reported Saturday.

It was the first case brought against lip-syncing performers since the authorities introduced the ban, the Beijing Youth Daily said.

The ministry for culture in August issued a regulation allowing for fines for singers who lip-synced, saying the practice "misled the public."

The two young singers will have to pay a total fine of 80,000 yuan (about 12,000 dollars), according to authorities quoted by the newspaper.

In 2008, the organisers of the Beijing Olympics caused controversy when it was revealed the young Chinese girl who sang at the opening ceremony had been miming.

They defended the move and triggered further uproar by saying the real singer was not pretty enough for a spectacle shown around the world.