Xia Baolong urges Hong Kong lawmakers to improve Putonghua skills

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, urged members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council to improve their proficiency in Putonghua following a five-hour meeting in Beijing. The meeting took place during a national affairs study programme held from July 19 to 25, where lawmakers visited the National Academy of Governance to study the 15th Five-Year Plan and Xi Jinping Thought.

During the session at the Great Hall of the People, several lawmakers addressed Xia using heavy Hong Kong-accented Mandarin, with some speakers being difficult for mainland officials to understand. Xia encouraged the legislators to learn the national language properly, noting that since they had traveled to Beijing, there was no reason for him to be the one learning Cantonese.

Some lawmakers reportedly used prepared scripts for their five-minute speeches but still struggled with correct pronunciation. The incident has drawn commentary regarding the gap between the political stance of pro-establishment lawmakers, who emphasize integration with the mainland, and their practical linguistic skills.