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Beauty queen sparks ugly debate in Shenzhen
By Chen Hong (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-24 05:44
SHENZHEN: A victorious beauty queen has whipped up a storm of controversy in
Shenzhen.
Miss Asia winner
Kitty Wang (Wang Lei) of China, center, poses with first runner-up Hong In
Young of Korea, left, and second runner-up Anna Zhai of China, after
winning the 2005 Miss Asia Pageant contest in Hong Kong Oct. 4,
2005. [AP] | Wang Lei's status as Miss Asia 2005 , a title won in
Hong Kong in October, has been no cause for protest.
It is the awarding of a permanent residency permit that has caused tempers to
fray.
The 20-year-old model, who moved to Shenzhen from Northeast China's Harbin
just three years ago, was recently granted registered permanent residency of the
booming southern city, to the anger of millions of migrant workers.
They say it is unfair Wang should be granted residency just for being
beautiful when they have no chance of being registered even if they put in years
of labour.
When Wang made her victorious return to Shenzhen from Hong Kong a month ago,
she could not help letting slip her wish to become a Shenzhener. 
"Shenzhen is my second hometown and I wish I could become a real Shenzhen
citizen," she told reporters.
The Shenzhen Bureau of Labour and Social Security offered her permanent
residency shortly after hearing the news.
Residency, they said, was granted because of Wang's "special expertise" in
the "cultural industry."
Wang became an officially registered Shenzhener on Monday.
The bureau explained that its cultural industry is in great need of talent
and Wang, a prize winner in her field, deserves the privilege.
Many migrant labourers see the case as one of blatant double standards.
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