Two Official Languages Vs. One Language and Free Trade : Hong Kong is far more welcoming and open that most people realise.
By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law
On the legal and practical front, Hong Kong operates with a high level of transparency in English as an official language that is deeply embedded in government communication. From registering a company to renewing your car license, English-language resources are widely available, accurate and accessible. We are truly international in this regard; that’s quite unique, and I challenge any location in Asia or the non-English speaking world to do much better.
By contrast, the United States seems to be heading in the opposite direction. On March 1, President Trump issued an Executive Order “Designating English as the Official Language of the United States”, so the intent is clear: one country, one language, potentially hard luck for anyone and everyone who can’t speak it.
Hong Kong is taking the opposite approach. Our government recently loosened language requirements for civil service positions, opening up more opportunities for ethnic minorities and those who are more fluent in languages other than our two official languages. This real effort to now build a government workforce that better reflects the diversity of our population via more opportunity and more equal opportunity is great!
A society made up of different languages and cultures will thrive via that diversity; so rather than moving to suppress it, one should embrace the wide swathe of skills available, which might involve different language proficiency.
And as to our free trade status is not just a policy. It is protected by the Basic Law (https://lnkd.in/gn-T-Rrf), which ensures Hong Kong maintains its own customs territory. So far, then, we will not get involved with slapping tariffs (taxes) on the United States, or anyone else for that matter. No trade wars here. Just open access, as stated repeatedly by our Chief Executive; our success factors include our openness; this is in our DNA.
Others might keep narrowing and isolating, but as long as places like Hong Kong keep trying to move forward with openness to trade and a more multicultural approach to government jobs and by keeping multiple languages officially alive, we are on the right path.
We will not only remain what we always have been (to paraphrase John Lee) but we will continue to evolve in terms of relevance and importance.
If you need specific input regarding a strategic Hong Kong challenge or related legal matters in the HKSAR you can always DM me and check out my profile at https://www.ajhalkes.com
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