XN000022-1986-07-23 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1986

MR WONG SAID IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO RESORT TO PRECEDENTS FROM OTHER COMMON LAW JURISDICTIONS WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF HONG KONG'S LEGAL SYSTEM.

IN HIS VIEW, THE ADVANTAGES INCLUDED:

*

THE PARTICIPATION OF ENGLISH SPEAKING LAWYERS AND JUDGES IN THE LEGAL PROCESS, AND THUS CONTINUING THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LEGAL SYSTEMI

* THE PRESERVATION AND STRENGTHENING OF HONG KONG'S

POSITION AS AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE AND

*

THE CONTINUED CONFIDENCE OF FOREIGN INVESTORS IN A LEGAL SYSTEM IN WHICH A LANGUAGE MORE READILY COMPREHENSIBLE TO THEM WAS USED.

MR WONG SAID ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION IN CASES OF DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHICH LANGUAGE SHOULD BE USED WAS TO GIVE THE PRESIDING JUDGE OR MAGISTRATE THE DISCRETION TO DECIDE WHETHER CHINESE OR ENGLISH SHOULD BE THE MEDIUM IN ANY GIVEN CASE.

NOTING THAT THE TASK OF TRANSLATING LAWS INTO CHINESE WOULD DRAW HEAVILY ON THE RESOURCES OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. HE SAID CAREFUL PLANNING AND SELECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION WERE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE EXERCISE.

+TO LOCALISE OUR LEGISLATION AND MAKING IT LESS DEPENDENT ON THE ENGLISH SYSTEM, CAN ONLY BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND THE EFFECTIVE EXERCISE OF OUR HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, WHICH WE NOW ENJOY AND WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY,+ HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID HE REMAINED OF THE VIEW THAT ENGLISH SHOULD BE ACCORDED LEGAL STATUS EVEN AFTER 1997.

LAWS SHOULD USE TRADITIONAL CHINESE CHARACTERS

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TRADITIONAL CHINESE CHARACTERS WHICH ARE UNDERSTOOD BY THE MAJORITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD BE USED IN PRODUCING LAWS IN CHINESE, THE HON K.C. CHAN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE DEBATE ON THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT, MR CHAN SAID THE USE OF +MODERN+ SIMPLIFIED CHINESE CHARACTERS WOULD POSE A PROBLEM NOT ONLY TO LOCAL PEOPLE BUT ALSO TO OVERSEAS CHINESE DOING BUSINESS HERE.

/HE SUGGESTEDO