Hong Kong’s official language is Cantonese, the Chinese dialect of the Guangdong province. The overall level of English is good in Hong Kong. The language is used in the main tourist and business areas, hotels and restaurants. Most signage, including various means of transportation, major shopping centres and dining areas, are bilingual. Mandarin (Putonghua) is well established as the third language and is being increasingly used.
Corporate business meetings are usually conducted in English. However, the Mandarin dialect is still essential when conducting business in China or with partners from the Mainland.
