Hong Kong people rally to save Cantonese language
![A man holds a sign professing his love for Cantonese, the main language used in the city, as he attends a Hong Kong rally to help stop Mandarin being promoted to the detriment of Cantonese. [AFP]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201008/r611340_4040772.jpg "A man holds a sign professing his love for Cantonese, the main language used in the city, as he attends a Hong Kong rally to help stop Mandarin being promoted to the detriment of Cantonese. [AFP]")
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A man holds a sign professing his love for Cantonese, the main language used in the city, as he attends a Hong Kong rally to help stop Mandarin being promoted to the detriment of Cantonese. [AFP]
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More than a thousand protesters have rallied in Guangzhou, China and in Hong Kong to protest Beijing's bid to champion the national language Mandarin over their local dialect Cantonese.
Hong Kong broadcasters RTHK and Cable TV say mainland police sent in to disperse the protestors had forcibly carried away some who had gathered in Guangzhou.
A number of Hong Kong journalists were also reportedly taken away for questioning.
The protests were sparked after a political advisory body in Guangzhou proposed that local TV stations broadcast their prime-time shows in Mandarin instead of Cantonese.
They suggested this be undertaken ahead of the Asian Games in November when large numbers of non Cantonese-speaking Chinese visitors are expected in Guangzhou.
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