Hong Kong's kinship with English has been furthered by the territory's recent contributions to English literature. Critics worldwide have praised the works of a new generation of young Hong Kong authors writing in English, including the novelist Susie Shako and poets Agnes Lam and Louise Ho. In post-handover Hong Kong, the Chinese are likely to discover they either use their English or lose their English. And as Berlitz's Taylor says, Hong Kong could lose its international edge as a cosmopolitan business center if English withers away. And there are other places that are bidding for that business.
Shanghai is the wolf at the door.
The level of English and other languages spoken there is rapidly increasing. The number of people who want to speak English to attract foreign investors is in a boom in China at the moment. Mr. Taylor remains confident in the eventual resurgence of people learning English in Hong Kong. He feels that more than a remnant of British rule, English is the tongue of Hong Kong's traders and the mainstay of its merchants. And in a city where business comes first, this means English is likely to last.