Starting next month, the process of singing and playing in commercial performances in China will be recorded and observed to avoid lip-synching, an instruction posted on the Ministry of Culture's website said Thursday.

The organizers of performances who stage shows without recording them will face a fine up to 3,000 yuan (about 439.0 U.S. dollars), said the instruction.

Lip-synching is the matching of a singer's lip movements to a recording. Taped music use in commercial performances will also be supervised.

"The act of lip-synching and faking the playing of a musical instrument is a gross violation of regulations and laws", said Tuo Zuhai, adding it not only infringes on the rights and interests of the consumers but also did harm to the singer or player.

Lip-synching created a stir during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games when a girl who touched millions of viewers with a moving song was later found to be miming.

(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2009)