Chinese vocal duo Phoenix Legend's hit song On the Moon has been accused of plagiarism, and may be taken off the roster for upcoming China Central Television (CCTV)'s Spring Festival Gala.

Because of the uncanny similarity, in terms of tune and rhythm, to the 2001 smash hit All Rise by British boy band Blue, the popular song has been termed plagiarism.

Star Daily reports on Thursday that music fans have petitioned CCTV to take the song off the roster for its upcoming Spring Festival gala, an annual show with an estimated hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.

CCTV then required the band to put forward evidence for the song's originality.

In response, the band held a news conference Wednesday afternoon, showing the copyright registration certificate for the song, issued by the State Copyright Bureau on March 28, 2006. Some experts were also invited to explain the differences between the two songs.

The band's representative indicated that he will again bring the two songs to the State Copyright Bureau for a technical examination. A certificate will be issued days after the test, according to relevant procedures.

Phoenix Legend hit the fame last year by performing the song on CCTV's "Star Boulevard," a show similar to "American Idol."

The song was included on Phoenix Legend's album, released in 2005.
 
(Cri.cn February 15, 2007)