TNAG-0471-FCO40-536-Use-of-Chinese-as-an-official-language-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

of the Committee.

These dealt with the use of Chinese at

meetings of Legislative Council, the Urban Council, Government

Boards and committees; the use of Chinese in oral and written

communications between Government and the public; and the extent

to which Chinese can have equal status with English in court

proceedings and as a language of law.

For a

4. The only main recommendation which was not accepted concerned

the translation into Chinese of the laws of Hong Kong.

variety of reasons, some of principle and others of sheer

practicality, it was considered that the translations of the laws

of Hong Kong could not be regarded as essential, and that it would

be more practicable to concentrate on publishing booklets on

Ordinances affecting the daily life of the public rather than to

attempt to translate all the laws of Hong Kong. However,

However, special

arrangements are made to publish both in English and Chinese

important Bills and Ordinances which are of wide public interest.

As a result of the implementation of these earlier reports,

simultaneous interpretation facilities are available in the

Legislative and Urban Councils and other Government committees;

a bi-lingual glossary of legal terms and a list of titles

together with a brief description of existing Ordinances and

subsidiary legislation is being published in Chinese; all state-

ments are to be taken down in the language in which they are made;

and statutory forms, Government licences and certificates

prescribed by law are to be equally authoratitive in both English

5.

and Chinese.

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16.