TNAG-0305-FCO40-341-Use-of-Chinese-as-official-language-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 114

Reference

Chinese Language Committee.

The Fourth and final Report of the Committee has now been presented and a copies of all four Reports are attached. A summary of the main recommendations in the Reports is also attached.

The present position with regard to the Committees Reports is that the First Report has been accepted in principle by the Governor-in-Council (see 34); the other Reports are under consideration and we have had no comment from the Hong Kong Government about them.

It seems possible that the Government may have some, difficulty in accepting the Second Report, because of te criticism therein of the failure of Government in the past to implement their own directives aimed at increased use of Chinese in dealings with the public. The main tenour of the Report however merely restates and reinforces the policy laid down by Government in 1968.

Acceptance in principle of the Third Report should cause no difficulty, but because of the new machiney required for translation (suitably qualified translatore may not be easy to find) and printing, and the expense, implementation of some of the recommendations will take considerable time.

If

The Fourth Report deals mainly with the machinery of Government which would be required to bring about the implementation of the Committee's recommendations. the earlier recommendations are accepted there should be no difficulty with these. The Committee's final recommendation however, that "Government should consider promulgating a firm policy, in a suitable manner, that Chinese and English are

that is to say, offici languages. The Committee do not suggest how thas may be done, and since in the Third Report they say that under the present legal system Chinese cannot be given status with English in the Courts, it is difficult to see how this recommendation can be brought into effect.

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