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He added that there had been no better demonstration of the value of private initiative than the establishment of the Chiang Industrial Charity Foundation, with its commitment to the development of human resources and technological understanding throughout Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan.
Mr Patten also said since better tools and techniques were indispensable to the sustenance of the community, it was imperative to improve levels of understanding and skills in the use of technology.
He said the Government was doing that through improvements at all levels in the education system.
These are the reduction in pupil:teacher ratios in primary and secondary schools, doubling of the numbers of computers in schools last year, expansion of opportunities for tertiary education and putting of resources into research.
End
Support for use of Chinese in courts
Commenting on the recent first High Court trial conducted in the Chinese language, a spokesman for the Legal Department today (Wednesday) expressed support for the historic attempt and noted that the department would continue to contribute to the wider use of Chinese in the courts.
"For some years, the department has been anticipating an increase in the use of Chinese and, to meet this challenge, the Law Draftsman, with advice from the Bilingual Laws Advisory Committee, has been preparing an English-Chinese Glossary of Legal Terms.
"This Glossary is a compilation of terms and expressions appearing in the authentic Chinese-language text of the Laws of Hong Kong. As such, it bears authority and represents the fruit of intensive labours on the part of the executive as well as the legislative branches of the Government," he said.
The first volume of this Chinese-language legal glossary was published by the Legal Department in March this year with a second volume due out next spring.