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During a historic study trip to Beijing last month, 88 Hong Kong Legislative Council members engaged in a five-hour discussion with Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office.
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The meeting took place in the Hong Kong Hall of the Great Hall of the People, where nearly half of the attending lawmakers shared their views.
After hearing one member speak with a noticeable local accent, Xia took the opportunity to encourage the legislators to refine their spoken Putonghua.
According to an attending lawmaker, Xia specifically commended Kenneth Fok, who represents the sports, performing arts, culture, and publication sector, for his strong Mandarin proficiency, prompting other legislators with average skills to pledge to practice the language more frequently in the future.
Public representatives urged to enhance language proficiency
Lau Siu-kai, a consultant for the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, suggested that while the director's comments were likely lighthearted, there is a genuine need for public representatives to elevate their Mandarin listening and speaking abilities.
He added that lawmakers should also improve their Chinese writing skills to properly interpret central government policy documents and authoritative media reports.
Executive Council member Ronny Tong Ka-wah openly admitted that his own Mandarin proficiency was quite basic, recalling that former mainland officials used to playfully tease him about it as well.
He agreed that Xia's remarks were made in good faith. Tong shared that he had enrolled in Mandarin courses early in his legislative career but found language learning challenging at an older age.
Observing that some lawmakers also possess average English skills, Tong emphasized that legislators must recognize the critical role of communication and proactively decide whether to upgrade their linguistic abilities.
Lawmakers remain confident in basic communication capabilities
Brave Chan Yung, a lawmaker from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong who grew up in the mainland, pointed out that the current legislative term features many young members with strong linguistic talents.
He expressed confidence that the overall Mandarin level of the lawmakers is more than sufficient for general communication.
Although some may speak with a distinct Hong Kong flair, Chan noted that this simply signals their origins to the central leadership.
He emphasized the endless nature of learning, suggesting that lawmakers should not only practice the language but also familiarize themselves with the customary terminology used under the One Country, Two Systems framework to foster better mutual understanding and efficiency.
Echoing the commitment to improvement, lawmaker Michelle Tang Ming-sum of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong mentioned that she watches mainland television dramas as a tool to learn Mandarin.
She also noted the central leadership's deep comprehension of Hong Kong affairs, indicating that officials stay well-informed through various online and media channels.
