Your ref:
MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE
Our ref:
1/5
Mr Bmden,
Date:
28 April 1993
From the Consul General
BRITISH CONSULATE-GENERAL 244 Yong Fu Lu
Shanghai 200031
People's Republic of China
Telephone: 4330508
Telex: 33476 BRIT CN
Telegraphic Address: Britain Shanghai Fax: 4330498
35
W Morris Esq
Far Eastern Department
FCO
London SW1A 2AH
HKCC 000/1 RECEN
Dear Warwick
CHINESE LANGUAGE TRAINING
1. Thank you for copying to me your letter of 5 April to Philip McLean. My copy arrived in yesterday's bag. As a non-Sinologist, I have drawn heavily on Ian Wellfare's views in this reply, which is also tempered by my experience as a Japanese-language speaker.
2.
My understanding of the present hard-language tuition system is that it is now closely geared to DS needs, and concentrates on the more practical aspects and vocabulary of the business/economic and political fields. This is to be welcomed, as
as are the suggestions in your letter that more E-stream officers be trained in the language, and that the training should start at a later stage in their careers, after they have gained experience of the office, both at home and overseas. This may also help stem the worrying loss of DS officers with language capabilities to industry.
3. So far as Shanghai is concerned, there is no doubt that the possession of operational level Mandarin by the Consul General and
(Commercial) would contribute significantly to their effectiveness, particularly in information gathering at official banquets, and to their enjoyment of a posting to what can be a claustrophobic city, which is distinguished also by its pollution and overcrowding. Anything less than an operational level of the language would not be of great benefit. Shanghainese are pragmatic beings, and give credit only where it is justified in terms of practical value.
4.
I am copying this to the recipients of your letter.
Yours ever
Isha Hamal
J W MacDonald
MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE
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