An eight-year-old Hong Kong boy outdid his Mandarin-speaking rivals from the Chinese mainland to be named the "Story King" at a national story-telling contest for children.

Canada-born Zhang Weilin, who also speaks Cantonese and English, won the top prize with his excellent Putonghua, or Standard Mandarin, and lively expression, according to the Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po newspaper.

The story Zhang Weilin shared at the competition, which he co-wrote with his grandmother, is about a child who is dubbed mute at his Hong Kong school because he cannot speak Cantonese, while he later became a star of the school by promoting Putonghua.

Zhang Weilin's Hong Kong team-mates also won another four prizes, which the team's captain was quoted by Wen Wei Po as attributing to the strong promotion of Putonghua in Hong Kong schools over recent years.

The story-telling contest attracted over 200 children from across China.

Eight-year-old Zhang Weilin is seen here telling his story. The Hong Kong boy was named "Story King" at a recent national story-telling contest for Chinese children. 
 
(CRI.cn September 3, 2007)