TNAG-0305-FCO40-341-Use-of-Chinese-as-official-language-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 165

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學聯

OUR REF:

YOUR REF:

1BIMUS OS

HKFS

hong kong federation of students 香港專上學生聯會

23c waterloo road, kowloon hong kong 九龍窩打老道 二 十三號C tel. k-888137, 840048, 840049

telegram "HKFSTUDENT'

成員學生會

Member Unions :

中文大學崇基學院學生會

Chung Chi College Student

Union, Chinese University of Hong Kong

葛量洪教育學院學生會

Grantham College of

Education Students Assn.

香港浸會學院學生會

Hong Kong Baptist College

Student Union

香港工業學院學生會

Hong Kong Technical College Student Union

Hong Kong University

香港大學學生會

Student Union

嶺南書院學生會

Lingnan College Student

Union

中文大學新亞書院學生會

New Asia College Student

Union, Chinese University of

Hong Kong

羅富國師範學院學生會

Northcote College of Education Students' Assn.

柏立基師範學院學生會

Sir Robert Black College of

Education Student Assn.

中文大學聯合書院學生會

United College Student

Union, Chinese University of Hong Kong

幹事會:

Executive Committee :

會

長

President

Mr. Chung Lun-nap

鍾倫納

副會長

Deputy President

C.U.

中大

Mr. Kwan Pun-fong H.K.U.

關品方

副會長一國際事務

褟福南 中大

港大

C. U.

International Vice-president

Mr. Freeman Huen Fook-nam

常務秘書

General Secretary

Miss Morna Sung Mel-hung

宋美紅

港大

本港事務秘書

H.K.U.

Local Affairs Secretary

Mr. Mok Kam-chuen B.C.

* * *

財務秘書

Financial Secretary

Mr. Lam Shek-wing

林錫榮

福利秘書

漫會

T.C.

工尊

Student Welfare Secretary

Mr. Thomas Chan Chat-yin

陳澤賢 中大

新聞秘書

Press Secretary

C.U.

Mr. Leung Kwong-lam C.U.

無廣林

體育秘書

Sports Secretary

中大

Miss Helena Tso Wong-hing

曹旺卿 4 N.C.E.

學生旅遊秘書 Q

Student Travel Affairs Secretary

Miss Malina Chan Sim-ching

+

陳婉貞

漫會

B.C.

POSITION PAPER OF THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF STUDENTS

ON THE MATTER OF RECOGNITION OF CHINESE AS AN OFFICIAL

LANGUAGE OF HONG KONG PRESENTED ΤΟ THE GOVERNMENT CHINESE LANGUAGE COMMITTEE ON THE 16TH JULY,

Section A: Introduction

The Chinese population in Hong Kong, apart from being the overwhelming majority of 98% of the total population, also contributes the most towards the growth and prosperity of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Federation of Students, believing that the mother tongue of the Chinese population should be given a respectable status as an official language alongside English, considers the matter one deserving serious deliberations by the Government.

Section B: Reasons

(1) Language is an object of emotion. When the governed feel that their mother tongue is respected as oneof the official languages of the place, it would strengthen their sense of belonging to Hong Kong, and thus promote stability of Hong Kong.

(2) Social and political equality are basic human rights in a society. It is a gesture of respect to make the language of an ethnic group an official language.

The demand to make Chinese an official language is a political right that should not be denied them.

(3) A government administered in the language of the majority is closer to the governed than on administered in a foreign language. This would mean greater ease and greater inducement to co-operating with the Government.

4) It is meaningless to speak of equality before the law if the version of law relied on by the majority has neither legal status nor legal authority.

It is ironic to speak of supremacy of the law if the

What may version relied on itself is always inferior. lead to contempt of the law should be done away with by recognising Chinese as an official language with euqal status in law.

(5) The cultural heritage of the Chinese civilisa- tion has a history of over 4,000 years. It is a great asset to the whole community. Preservation and develop- ment of the Chinese culture would be greatly facilitated and encouraged by giving Chinese an official status.

:

(6) Though the political set-up of Hong Kong is

not a democracy, it has proved in the past not too

unwilling to take note of public opinion. The popular desire of making Chinese an official language should be Kondo heeded.

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