No need to politicize HK students' ability to read in Simplified Chinese

Launch ceremony of HK - Macao student media tour, in Lanzhou, Gansu province.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The deliberations of the Hong Kong education authorities on Chinese courses recently came to an end, and the document has aroused debates in Hong Kong because it mentioned students becoming able to recognize characters in Simplified Chinese after having mastered Traditional Chinese, as the former is mainly used in the Chinese mainland. Do not politicize the issue, says an article in the Global Times Chinese edition on Tuesday:

It should be emphasized that the Hong Kong education authorities advise students to be able to read Simplified Chinese. Teachers and parents have the right to decide whether the advice is practical, but it is unnecessary to protest as if Simplified Chinese characters will "replace" Traditional Chinese ones in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It is even more absurd to treat the suggestion as a sign the Hong Kong education authorities are simply being obedient to Beijing.

Actually, as interactions between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland have increased, Hong Kong students that recognize Simplified Chinese will find it convenient to travel to the mainland. Shop owners that speak good Mandarin and hang posters in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese get more customers than those who do not.

Since 1997, Hong Kong has adopted both Simplified and Traditional Chinese for signs in public buildings, which has made life more convenient and attracted many mainland tourists.

The Hong Kong education authorities have the responsibility of giving their advice. They have done the job.

Moreover, it is not a challenging task for those who master Traditional Chinese to read Simplified Chinese. A Hong Kong scholar used to print some classic essays in Simplified Chinese to test Hong Kong middle school students; only 5 percent failed the test. It is safe to conclude that the majority of Hong Kong residents do not oppose students learning Simplified Chinese.

Those opposing the teaching of Simplified Chinese are being guided by narrow ideological minds. It is time for them to give up that mentality, because that will help neither to broaden students' career chances nor to maintain Hong Kong's prosperity.