ENG-1998 — Page 64

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

both Chinese and English and is generally conversant in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. The Official Languages Agency continues its visits to departments and evaluates the progress made on the use of Chinese in official business. It has also launched an experimental out-reach programme led by Chinese Language Officers to help bureaux and departments promote wider use of Chinese. In 1998, $38 million was spent on equipping civil servants with computers and training in Chinese word processing. Assistance was also given to bureaux and departments for organising activities to promote wider use of Chinese.

Besides guidebooks and reference materials on official Chinese writing to facilitate drafting in Chinese, the Official Languages Agency has compiled glossaries of terms commonly used in the government. In April 1998, the agency set up a project team to develop a common Chinese character set for personal computer systems for use in the civil service to facilitate electronic interchange of Chinese document files. The agency has also worked closely with the Information Technology Services Department in developing ISO 10646, an international effort to unify the internal codes of Chinese characters.

The Civil Service Regulations, which govern the conduct, terms of appointment and conditions of service of government officers, are being translated into Chinese to enable civil servants at all ranks to have a good understanding of them.

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