It is not the first time that the use of Putonghua has been mandated in Guangdong Province. It is natural for natives of Guangdong to resist the new policy. They use their mother tongue every day, and it gives them a sense of belonging and identity. 

However, Putonghua popularization seems to pose a threat to their daily life by limiting Cantonese use in television and radio programs. Most of the locals believe they should fight to protect their language and the local cultural environment.

Many citizens are strongly against the policy on Cantonese program approval, as they feel they have the right to determine what kind of programs they want to see as natives of Guangdong, and are not willing to have officials interfere.

Furthermore, many old Guangdong residents do not speak Putonghua so it is unfair to force them to watch non-Cantonese television or listen to Putonghua radio programs.

It's been argued that the use of Cantonese might have a negative impact on non-natives of Guangdong, which could lead to discrimination against them. It is unfair and unjustified to see Cantonese as the only factor that causes this phenomenon.

For several years, Guangzhou, Guangdong's capital city, has arranged some Putonghua TV programs for its immigrants in order to satisfy their needs.

Moreover, some immigrants are very fond of learning Cantonese and show the same passion for the language as natives of Guangzhou do. They support Cantonese, insisting that Putonghua should not replace Cantonese in local broadcasts. 

Cantonese is more than a language. It is closely related to the local culture and civilization.

As a result, Cantonese should be better protected not only by local citizens but also by the authorities, who should take action to protect cultural diversity rather than using official power to limit it.

It is unreasonable to overlook the desire of citizens to carry on the tradition of the local tongue. After all, language and local culture disappearing are the last two things anyone wants to see. 

The article was compiled  from an interview with Zheng Jiawen, a native Cantonese speaker. opinion@globaltimes.com.c