Rookie - The problem with your "making the benchmark" argument is that the benchmark simply moves depending on the quality of the applicants. We've seen this in recent years as the quality of applicants for DEFO goes up and down depending on the state of the industry and the Cx package. If the training dept are to be believed, the benchmark has been lowered significantly a couple of times in the last 10 years just to get bums on seats.
To get back to the case in point, if a whole load of folk with flying experience from abroad apply for the same jobs as the locals are applying for then they're likely to have a better success rate with their Cx applications. Whether the locals are true locals or offspring of expats doesn't really matter - if the latter then they've still probably spent at least 7 years growing up here so have had the same restrictions as the true locals in terms of the limitations of growing up in Hong Kong and the availability of flying here. The company can hardly put "must look Chinese" in the job spec!
Monkie, I think you should go ahead and send as you're making a valid point.