Guangzhou Mayor Delivers Work Report, Proposes Safeguarding Cantonese

(Hong Kong, Jan 21) The sixth session of the 16th Guangzhou Municipal People’s Congress opened on Tuesday in Guangdong Province, China. During the delivery of the government work report, Guangzhou Mayor Sun Zhiyang emphasized the need to “protect Cantonese,” also known as the Guangdong dialect. His remarks attracted attention from Hong Kong media, which interpreted them as official recognition of the importance of Cantonese.

According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, citing a post by Guangzhou Daily on Weibo, Sun stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), Guangzhou will deepen its development as a national historical and cultural city. The city will continue to preserve and promote cultural treasures such as Cantonese opera and music, while safeguarding Cantonese as a living cultural carrier of Guangfu culture. Lingnan culture is expected to serve as an important bridge strengthening cultural identity among Chinese communities worldwide.

Sun’s remarks sparked discussion in Hong Kong. Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday that this is the first time the phrase “protect Cantonese” has appeared in Guangzhou’s government work report, noting that the perceived weakening of Cantonese has long been a concern in Guangdong, especially in Guangzhou.

The newspaper commented that including the protection of Cantonese in an official report signifies government acknowledgment of its cultural importance.

Meanwhile, Guangdong-based self-media platform “Jianye Blog” pointed out that previous street interviews with students of different age groups revealed that many local Guangzhou students could not speak Cantonese fluently, or at all. The article stressed that the government’s stance is particularly important, calling for coordinated efforts among authorities, schools, teachers, parents, and social organizations to create a supportive environment for Cantonese preservation.

Guangzhou CPPCC member Shuai Yiwen also said the move reflects official recognition of Cantonese. He noted that Cantonese is widely used in Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia, and overseas Chinese communities in Europe and North America. It plays a vital role in social life, entertainment, commerce, education, media, and tourism, serving as a key link in Guangdong’s cross-border economic and cultural exchanges.

He added, “Given the wide scope of its influence and usage, it would be illogical to conclude that Cantonese is being weakened.”