Miss Hong Kong pageant auditions spark debate over Cantonese fluency, identity

Fluency in Cantonese has captured public attention after a mainland Chinese contestant in a celebrated Hong Kong beauty queen contest spoke about her difficulties learning the language, prompting a talent group to call for inclusion as the city seeks to preserve its culture. A political observer also said it was unnecessary to focus solely on contestants’ fluency in Cantonese, suggesting instead that the organiser could include more local elements in the contest to strengthen representation at the pageant, such as providing training on Hong Kong culture. The Miss Hong Kong Pageant is a major televised event held by Television Broadcasts…