All schools should teach in Mandarin: Ronnie Chan

Billionaire businessman Ronnie Chan said on Wednesday that he hopes all schools in Hong Kong will primarily use Mandarin for teaching, adding that the SAR’s next generation should dream the “Chinese Dream” in the language.

Speaking at a forum to discuss development in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Chan said the introduction of the national security law has provided the SAR with “the best opportunities” and that it’s important to now focus on winning people’s heart and minds and solidifying the patriotic forces within the city.

The chairman of Hang Lung Group said while it is “nice” for the country to have Hong Kong in the development process, there’s “no big deal” if the SAR is left out of the picture.

“Hong Kong should no longer look at issues from its own perspective or be self-complacent,” he said. “That’s because all the opportunities are on the mainland. Hong Kong people need to learn to think from the country’s perspective. They also need to ask themselves: who needs who more?”

“In the past, Hong Kong people used to learn English. But now, they need to strengthen their Putonghua skills. While Cantonese should be preserved like any other dialect, Hongkongers need to speak good Mandarin for the sake of the city’s economic future.”

Chan stressed it’s impossible for the mainland to “stop and wait for Hong Kong”, and it is up to people here to do what’s needed to keep up with the country’s pace of development.