Sir,
Translation
DRAFT SPEECH BY HON LEE YU-TAI LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 25.3.1987
Adjournment Debate on Chinese Language Foundation
'Some ideas cannot be fully expressed in writing and words sometimes fail to convey the full meanings'. Most people have had the experience of not being able to express some of their ideas or
Since failing to express clearly in writing what they want to say. Cantonese, a dialect which cannot be put into writing, completely, is commonly used among the people of Hong Kong, it is rather difficult
Moreover, the for them to maintain a good standard of Chinese. society itself does not attach much importance to culture.
The Working Party on why the standard of Chinese is deteriorating. the Development of a Chinese Language Foundation is also aware of the 'difference between spoken (Cantonese) and written language (bai hua) '
and believes that this is a problem peculiar to Hong Kong.
This is
The Working Party was set up in June 1981 and completed its Report in February 1982, which was submitted to the then Secretary for Education and Manpower, hoping that the Government But the Government took 4 would come up with an early decision. years to consider the Report before announcing in April 1986 that it
Such a decision is would not set up a Chinese Language Foundation.
of course disappointing, especially when it has been delayed for several years. In September 1982, China and Britain began to get in touch on the question of the future of Hong Kong and succeeded in
The Island Line announcing the Joint Declaration in September 1984. of the MTR also began its construction in the early 1980's and
The future of Hong Kong is managed to start operation in May 1985.
a complicated problem and the Island Line of the MTR is a gigantic piece of construction work. But both were successfully completed before a decision could be made on the Chinese Language Foundation. This gives the public an impression that the Government has been delaying the issue deliberately. A short while ago, the Government