Hong Kong under pressure to use standard Chinese language

HONG KONG — The shadow of linguistic domination is creeping over Hong Kong amid mainland China’s rising affect in all areas.

Whereas Hong Kongers use Cantonese each day, Legislative Council lawmakers and high-ranking authorities officers who communicate Mandarin — recognized in Chinese language as Putonghua, that means “the frequent tongue” — have appeared. A current authorities survey discovered that for the primary time since Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997, greater than half of Hong Kongers can now communicate Mandarin.