TNAG-0305-FCO40-341-Use-of-Chinese-as-official-language-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 14

D. Morgan Esq.,

Welsh Office,

Cathays Park, CARDIFF.

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 8/3

LABI

REF.

15 December 1971

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REF.

□ Subfile

(81)

I am writing to seek your advice on a language problem which faces us in Hong Kong.

There has for some months been a certain amount of agitation in the Colony in favour of the recognition of Chinese as an official language on a par with English for all general purposes, particularly in connection with official activities of all kinds. About a year ago the Hong Kong Government set up a committee to examine the whole question: this committee has produced four reports and the present situation as regards the examination of these reports is set out in detail in the attached paper.

(I am classifying this letter as "confidential" solely because the enclosure is so classified in the Hong Kong context.)

You will see that it is the third and fourth of these repots which present the greatest difficulties. These particular reports are concerned with the use of Chinese in Court proceedings and as a language of the law and with the fundamental principle that both English and Chinese should be declared to have equal status. It is clear that the recommendations in these two reports will need to be considered together since acceptance of the principle referred to above would certainly have an effect on the use of Chinese in Court proceedings and as a language of the law.

We are wondering whether in the application of the dual language system in Wales you have come across similar difficulties and if so how you have dealt with them. The position in Hong Kong is not, of course, on all fours with that in Wales since apart from any other considerations there is the difficulty of precise translation from Chinese into English and vice versa (this point is mentioned in paragraph 11 of the enclosed paper): I presume that this particular difficulty does not arise in the circumstances in Wales.

I hope that what I have said above together with the information in the enclosure to this letter will give you a sufficiently clear indication of the particular points on which we are seeking your advice. We should be most grateful for your advice and for any suggestions that you can let us have for dealing with the problem.

bu 15.1.76

15.14.71.

A. . Gaminara

3.

Hong Kong Department

CONFIDENTIAL