To facilitate more effective electronic communication using Chinese by the public, the former Information Technology Services Department set up the Chinese Language Interface Advisory Committee (CLIAC) in May 1999 to provide the Government with professional advice on various aspects regarding the development and promotion of a common Chinese language interface in Hong Kong.

CLIAC members come from various sectors, including the academia, language and linguistics associations, the publishing industry and the information technology industry. There is a working group under CLIAC, namely the Working Group of Chinese Language Interface Advisory Committee.

Major achievements of CLIAC since its establishment include:

• Submission of local characters for Chinese Computer Systems and follow-up issues to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), including:
  • submission of the Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS) for inclusion in the ISO/IEC 10646 international coding standard;
  • organise and participate in meetings for The Ideographic Research Group (IRG) of the ISO; and
  • development of the International Ideographs Core (IICORE);
• Promotion of the ISO/IEC 10646 in Hong Kong, including:
  • development of Reference Font and Input Software; and
  • establishment of the theme website on Common Chinese Language Interface (CCLI), production of posters and publicity materials, dissemination of video and animation for demonstrations and experience-sharing, to promote and enhance public awareness;
• Harmonisation of the demand from local characters for Chinese Computer Systems, including:
  • development and publication of reference information and guidelines, such as the Guidelines on Character Glyphs for Chinese Computer Systems, Reference Guide on Kai Style Character Glyphs for Chinese Computer Systems in Hong Kong, the Reference Guide on Song Style (Print Style) Character Glyphs for Chinese Computer Systems in Hong Kong and the Cantonese Pronunciation List of the Characters for Computers;
• Management of the HKSCS, including;
  • development and publication of procedures and principles for inclusion of new characters in the HKSCS;
  • consideration of applications for inclusion of characters; and
  • compilation of Cangjie Input Code and Cantonese pronunciation.

1. David was processing a document that contained a special Chinese character.

2. He found that computers could not show and process this character. Even the Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS) does not contain this character.

3. David submitted an application to the Chinese Language Interface Advisory Committee (CLIAC) to include this character in the HKSCS.

4. One of the CLIAC's functions is to examine and approve applications for the inclusion of new characters in HKSCS according to the published criteria for inclusion of characters in HKSCS.

5. The CLIAC comprises of representatives from academia, publishing industry, users,

6. information technology industry and education sector.

7. After evaluation by the CLIAC, approved characters will be included in the HKSCS.

8. New characters in the HKSCS will be submitted to ISO for consideration of inclusion in future releases of the ISO/IEC 10646 international coding standard.

9. After the inclusion of new characters in the ISO/IEC 10646 international coding standard, the new characters can be displayed and processed by computers supporting the new releases of the ISO/IEC 10646.

10. Inclusion of new characters in the ISO/IEC 10646 will facilitate electronic communication and data exchange in Chinese between computers supporting the standard.