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Hong Kong
HONG KONG
Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
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1998
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© Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998, originally published by Oxford University Press 1998. (Hide copyright information)
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HONG KONG, also Hongkong. An autonomous region of
CHINA, formerly a British colony. Languages: Cantonese, English, and Mandarin Chinese. In 1842, by the Treaty of Nanking, Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain; in 1898, the mainland New Territories were leased to Britain for 99 years. The colony was restored to China in 1997. English is important in Hong Kong for written and printed communication, as a
LINGUA FRANCA between Chinese and non-Chinese, and in international trade, but is not widely used as a spoken medium. Of some 40 daily newspapers, two are in English: the
South China Morning Post and the
Hongkong Standard.
Hong Kong usage includes: (1) Words and phrases from Chinese:
dim sum snacks served in Chinese restaurants,
fung shui (‘wind-water’) geomancy used in deciding the sites, orientation, and design of buildings,
gweilo (‘ghost person’) a European,
hong a large usually long-established non-Chinese trading company,
pak choi Chinese cabbage,
taipan the head of a hong. (2) LOAN TRANSLATIONS from Chinese:
dragon boat a long canoe-like boat raced at festivals,
snakehead a smuggler of illegal immigrants. (3) Terms from other languages:
amah (Portuguese) a maid,
godown (Malay) a warehouse,
shroff (Arabic through Persian and Anglo-Indian English) a cashier in a government office. (4) Local uses of general words:
the mainland China proper;
triad a secret criminal society. See
EAST ASIAN ENGLISH.
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Hong Kong shares close lower led by properties
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 8/12/2002; 597 words
; Hong Kong shares close lower led by properties HONG KONG, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong share prices closed lower on Monday in thin trade led by falls...
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HONG KONG DISNEYLAND SET TO BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY.
News Wire article from: AsiaPulse News; 9/5/2005; 700+ words
; HONG KONG, Sept 5 Asia Pulse - With only seven days left before the formal opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong is being soaked in an atmosphere of jubilance. Hong Kong Financial...
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 "Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA)")
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HONG KONG IS THE REAL KING KONG.(Editorial)(Column)
Newspaper article from: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA); 7/2/1997; 700+ words
; ...important point to keep in mind about Hong Kong is that the heaviest concentration...along the border between China and Hong Kong, and those troops are there to keep...eager to flock here to become part of Hong Kong. Everything else is just commentary...
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Hong Kong's Textile and Clothing Exports Stood At US$40 Bn in 2008, Representing 11% Of Total Exports from the Territory.
M2 Presswire; 3/26/2009; 700+ words
; ...PRESSWIRE-26 March 2009-Research and Markets: Hong Kong's Textile and Clothing Exports Stood At US...Prospects for the Textile and Garment Industry in Hong Kong" to their offering. Hong Kong is the world's third largest exporter of garments...
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Hong Kong must act now to shape its economic destiny in the 1990s. (includes SRI International's five part strategy for Hong Kong)
PR Newswire; 9/26/1989; 700+ words
; HONG KONG MUST ACT NOW TO SHAPE ITS ECONOMIC DESTINY...To a greater extent than many realize, Hong Kong can shape its own destiny by building on...1997, according to a "blueprint" for Hong Kong's future proposed by SRI International...
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Hong Kong Universities Welcoming Mainland Students
Magazine article from: International Educator; 9/1/2005; ; 700+ words
; New Visa Policies Will Help Hong Kong Become a Regional Hub for Higher Education THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT has relaxed immigration controls on mainland students Homing to Hong Kong for university study starting in...
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Hong Kong handover. (China's president Jiang Zemin)(Transcript)
Magazine article from: Presidents & Prime Ministers; 7/1/1997; 700+ words
; ...China and the regional flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of...the world are casting their eyes on Hong Kong. In accordance with the Sino-British...Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, the two governments have held on...
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HONG KONG LOOKS TO CHINA AND WTO
News Wire article from: United Press International; 12/19/2001; 700+ words
; United Press International 12-19-2001 Hong Kong looks to China and WTO HONG KONG, Dec 19, 2001 (United Press International via...month and while the mainland is sure to benefit, Hong Kong is standing by hoping to reap a few of the rewards...
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Hong Kong Residents Greet New Year With Trepidation
Transcript from: NPR Morning Edition; 1/1/1996; 700+ words
; ...year of British rule, residents of Hong Kong are not sure what to expect once...important year for the residents of Hong Kong. It's the last full year of British...will appoint a chief executive for Hong Kong and a new legislative council to...
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Hong Kong is feeling economic pressure from Chinese border town.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 3/14/2001; ; 700+ words
; ...China _ Anyone searching for clues to Hong Kong's future needs only to look just...both opportunities and threats for Hong Kong, forcing the former British colony...Beijing promised not to meddle in Hong Kong's internal affairs, though opinions...
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Hong Kong Telecommunications Ltd.
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
Hong Kong Telecommunications Ltd. 15th Floor Three Exchange Square Hong Kong Island Hong Kong (5) 848-8718 Fax: (5) 868-5187 Public Company Incorporated...
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Hong Kong
Encyclopedia entry from: Countries and Their Cultures
Hong Kong Culture Name Hong Kong Alternative Names Heung Gong (Cantonese), Xianggang (Mandarin) Orientation Identification. Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor." Once administered by the United Kingdom...
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Hong Kong and China Gas Company Ltd.
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
Hong Kong and China Gas Company Ltd. 23/F 363 Java Road, N Point Hong Kong Telephone: +852 2963 3388 Fax: +852...Sales: HKD 8.15 billion Stock Exchanges: Hong Kong OTC Ticker Symbol: HOKCY (ADR) NAIC...
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China Netcom Group Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
China Netcom Group Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited Bldg. C, No. 156 Fuxingmennei...Kong Centre 2 Queen's Road Central Hong Kong Telephone: +852 2626 8888 Fax...billion) (2004) Stock Exchanges: Hong Kong Ticker Symbol: CNC NAIC: 517110...
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HONG KONG
Book article from: Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
HONG KONG, also Hongkong. An autonomous region of...Chinese. In 1842, by the Treaty of Nanking, Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain; in 1898...China in 1997. English is important in Hong Kong for written and printed communication...
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