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What About Integration?
Chinese immigration overseas has traditionally been with the object of economic betterment and the ambition of returning to their homeland after making a fortune. This tradition still applies to the majority of Hong Kong Chinese coming to Britain and there are comparatively few who have decided to put down roots in Britain and settle permanently. This is particularly true in the case of N. T. people who retain very close links with family and friends in Hong Kong. Many return as frequently as they can afford to visit their villages and some save money to buy land and build houses in their villages. This attitude obviously affects the degree to which Hong Kong Chinese are interested in integration with the local community and although there are signs that more workers who have brought their families to Britain and whose children are growing up in English schools will have to think in terms of more permanent residence here it is still true that a large majority merely regard their life here as a temporary expedient and hope to return to Hong Kong in the future. The kitchen staff of restaurants, 9 in particular, have no particular need to learn English and very often they are completely cut off from contact with the local community.
London Office's Services to Chinese in Britain
In recognition of the special problems which many immigrants from Hong Kong face because of inadequate knowledge of English, the London Office of the Hong Kong Government first started to offer assistance to Chinese workers in Britain in 1962 as an extension of the services provided to Hong Kong students. Since that time, the services offered have been expanded with a view both to providing more effective assistance to individuals with problems either arising in Britain or relating to their land and families in Hong Kong and to developing new services for the Chinese community generally.
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