Government Language Policy
After the handover, the government of Hong Kong adopted the "biliterate and trilingual" (兩文三語) policy. Under this policy, Chinese and English must both be acknowledged as official languages, with Cantonese being acknowledged as the de facto official spoken variety of Chinese in Hong Kong, while also accepting the use of Mandarin.
The Civil Service Bureau monitors the implementation of the government's language policy at the civil level, the Department of Justice governs the legal aspect and the Education and Manpower Bureau monitors the educational aspect.
Read more about this topic: Languages Of Hong Kong
Famous quotes containing the words government, language and/or policy:
“Liberty is the air that we Americans breathe. Our Government is based on the belief that a people can be both strong and free. That civilized men need no restraint but that imposed by themselves against the abuse of freedom.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (18821945)
“To try to write love is to confront the muck of language: that region of hysteria where language is both too much and too little, excessive ... and impoverished.”
—Roland Barthes (19151980)
“We legislate against forestalling and monopoly; we would have a common granary for the poor; but the selfishness which hoards the corn for high prices, is the preventative of famine; and the law of self-preservation is surer policy than any legislation can be.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882)