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Contestants Stephanie Hau and Lili Wat practice their catwalk technique with two mirrors backstage before the start of the pageant. Chinese culture teaches people to be more reserved, while America prides itself on freedom of speech. “In the Chinese culture, you don’t get to speak your mind too much. If we don’t have anything important to say, we are asked to sit and smile at all times during sponsor visits”, said contestant Alice Zhang. “There is a Chinese proverb, «The gun shoots the bird that first flies out of the tree»”, said contestant Xiren Wang. “Knowing my parameters for the duration of this pageant – and also in other environments – is key to surviving”. (Photo and caption by John Brecher/Sahra Vang Nguyen/NBC News)
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