Miming at live performances could be banned from next year, China's ministry of culture has announced.

Singers who lip-synch or musicians who pretend to play their instruments twice or more in a two-year period, face having their business licences revoked.

Only professional performers will be covered, which will presumably mean the country's most celebrated case of faking it - at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics - would be exempt.

Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke was lauded around the world for her performance of Ode to the Motherland at the event. But it later emerged she was miming to a recording made by Yang Peiyi, aged seven . Officials replaced the younger girl because they judged Miaoke more photogenic.

Sun Qiuxia, from the ministry, said it will consult with the public over the next few weeks, before agreeing final details of new rules on commercial performances.

New rules will also ban performers from accepting money for charity events.