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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, met with ethnic minorities at Hong Kong Unison in Tai Kok Tsui this afternoon (August 29).
Mrs Lam discussed various issues of concern with young people from ethnic minorities and Executive Committee members of Hong Kong Unison. Topics discussed included the integration of ethnic minorities into the community and the views of young people from ethnic minorities on the education system and employment prospects (including relevant requirements for Chinese communication).
Mrs Lam said, "I understand that Hong Kong is an international metropolitan city, yet the population is mainly of Chinese ethnicity after all. Therefore, ethnic minorities living in Hong Kong have to overcome certain difficulties, especially problems caused by illiteracy in Chinese. In view of such a situation, the Chief Executive proposed in his election manifesto that we should review existing policies to reduce division and help ethnic minorities to integrate into the local community, which includes offering Chinese learning support for ethnic minorities."
She added, "The Chief Executive also advocates that ethnic minorities in Hong Kong are members of society who should be treated with equality. Social welfare services should promote integration among different parties and thereby help us join forces to build up our society. On the front of alleviating poverty, the re-established Commission on Poverty will give special attention to the needs of ethnic minority families and the arrangements for their children to receive Chinese learning in the course of formulating various policies and measures."
The Government enacted the Race Discrimination Ordinance in 2008 to safeguard the rights of individuals against racial discrimination. In addition, four service support centres for ethnic minorities set up in 2009 and operated by non-governmental organisations organise activities for ethnic minorities in the community including language training classes for parents and children so as to facilitate their integration into the community.
Established in 2001, Hong Kong Unison is tasked with serving ethnic minorities with the right of abode in Hong Kong and their family members. It also advocates policy reforms concerning the education and employment of ethnic minority residents.
Members of the Preparatory Task Force on the Commission on Poverty Mr Law Chi-kwong and Ms Christine Fang also joined today's visit.
Ends/Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:59
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