TNAG-1606-FCO40-22121-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 120

Sir,

DRAFT SPEECH BY HON LEE YU TAI LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 25.3.1987

Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 1986 and the Interpretation and General Clauses (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 1986

The Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in human history. It has a resourceful culture covering more than four thousand years of written history. China was however governed by absolute monarchs until 1911. Before this date, no legal system in the modern sense could be built up in the Chinese Empire and the Emperor's word meant law. Since the revolution of 1911, which dethroned the last hereditary Emperor, the country experienced disturbances of all kinds, including military invasion and civil wars. Such circumstances would not have allowed a legal system to complete its natural course of development.

Hong Kong is part of the British Common Law system, which have taken several centuries to develop, and which has proved successful in many parts of the world, including former

The laws of Hong Kong have until British dependent territories.

now been enacted in the English language which is the language of the Common Law. As there will be resumption of sovereignty by China in ten years time, the production of a Chinese version of the laws of Hong Kong becomes necessary, if the status quo of the

While the Basic Law will be territory is to be maintained.

drafted separately, the judicial laws of today will continue beyond 1997, because the former is expected to cover mainly

It is stated in the Joint Declaration constitutional provisions.

that Hong Kong will be allowed to retain a separate judicial system with a court of final appeal, so that Hong Kong may remain a capitalistic society.

Daily business and social activities in Hong Kong are

Whenever conducted through Cantonese, which is a spoken dialect. Chinese is spoken in this Council, standing orders require that it must be Cantonese. This dialect will continue to be the most extensive medium of communication in this territory.

Even if much

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