Cantonese set to carry on as officials quash rumors

GUANGZHOU - A senior city official in this southern city has reaffirmed that no action will be taken to scrap Cantonese in favor of Mandarin, and warned those who spread rumors or try to organize illegal rallies will be punished according to the law.

Local residents, visitors and tourists alike are fully able to speak both Cantonese and Mandarin in Guangzhou, Ouyang Yongsheng, deputy director of the general office of the Guangzhou city government, said at a press conference on Thursday.

The city government, he said, would never seek to marginalize a dialect that has been spoken by local residents for thousands of years.