2月18日，中国政府发布了《粤港澳大湾区发展规划》，目标是将该地区发展成为全球科技创新中心。正如预期的那样，该规划的发布引起了大量关于大湾区条件变化的讨论，其中的一个讨论是与居住在大湾区的人们的英语水平有关。 在当今世界，特别是在科技领域，与外界进行沟通和互动是必不可少的。 而要做到这一点，英语的使用则是至关重要且不可替代的。

With that as the goal, proficiency in the English language appears to be a must and not a luxury for the GBA region when it has such a grand mission outlined by the government.

Without question, at least in today's world, English holds a dominant position in communication. As the Financial Times put it, “The British empire carried English to all those countries on which the sun never set; American economic and cultural clout ensured English's Global dominance after the British empire had faded."

In the 21st century, knowing sufficiently well the English language carries another vital reason. Furthermore, it is now well recognized that in the geo-economics arena, having proficiency in the English language, especially understanding the nuisance of the language with its rich and robust cultural underpinnings, has a positive relationship with per capita exports, per capita income and service economy, especially for export-oriented economies.

Yet, unlike say several decades ago, regions which are behind the advanced nations in science and technology can assimilate the knowledge first and follow by copying or reverse engineering to produce a better product.

Certainly, after WWII, this was the modus operandi of Japan. Of course, to do so was in general very time-consuming.

The 11th Pazhou Forum and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Talents Innovation and Development Conference held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, November 30, 2018.

In the GBA today, especially in Guangdong Province, much of its internet and technological enterprises are still following the Japanese modus operandi of the '70s, namely extensively improving the concepts and products of the European and United States.

Unfortunately (or fortunately,) in today's information age, rapidity is the name. The current process is no longer acceptable.

For example, the primary reason for a number of the modern-day Chinese technological enterprises is successful not because they are “copy-cats.” They are successful because they rely heavily, if not exclusively, on the companies' aggressive and internally well-funded and talented R&D teams to pursue advanced technology and marketing research.

To be successful in such an endeavor, just as their peers in the global landscape, such companies must immerse in totality in the global environment.

Indeed, without an all-around and deep cultural and nuisance understanding of the foreign peers, business partners, collaborators even competitors, namely a global mindset, this could only be comprehensively achieved with the extensive usage of the English language.

There is no doubt that all this would be very difficult if not impossible for such companies to be as successful as they have been in the global landscape.

We know that in the past half-century, high technology has emerged as one of the driving forces in the globalization of modern industry and economic growth.

Therefore, to fully appreciate the profound meaning and to understand its technical complexities, the general usage of the English language is a must.

Over 80 percent of the scientific papers submitted are presented in English; it is essential to have a profound understanding of English for the latest global scientific development and technological innovation.

It is similar to that in the field of online information, in which more than 60 percent are conveyed in English. It is in this sense we refer to English as a tool to communicate with the outside world.

Having GBA's aim so clearly spelled out, it is nevertheless true that according to reliable data, there is indeed significant room for the population in the GBA to improve the English cognition skills.

For example, according to the survey carried out by the International Education Group “EF Education First,” which ranked the English proficiency of regions/nations for Asia, Hong Kong is ranked the fifth, after Singapore (ranked first,) Philippines, Malaysia and India, and Macau is the eighth (even Korea and Vietnam are ahead of it.)

An English class for chilcren at the Nature EQ school in Hong Kong, September 29, 2013.

We should point out that having a sufficient understanding of English is no guarantee for the GBA to attain a high level of scientific and technological innovations and developments.

If the overall English cognition in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, especially among government officials who are responsible for setting up scientific and technological policies can only carry out their vital tasks by relying on translations, it will surely be very cumbersome, if not difficult, for GBA to keep up with the rapid pace of global developments.

Indeed, if because of the insufficiency of English level for GBA were to cause relevant policies' developments and research capabilities to lag behind, then the consequence will undoubtedly be the retardation of the progress of GBA reaching its goal.

In summary, raising the English cognition is crucial for the GBA to become a global center of scientific and technological innovations of China. However, it must be recognized that improving the level of English for the GBA general public is merely a “tool” to achieve such a lofty goal and not a panacea.

After all, in the call for the GBA to become such a center, the ultimate aim should not and cannot simply be just economic prosperity. It must render the GBA to be a transformative icon for the nation in particular, the world in general, to become an important force for humanity's betterment.

冯达旋|丝路智谷研究院 首席顾问

核子与核天文物理、量子光学与数学物理领域的专家，在美国和台湾多间大学及企业服务超过30年，曾出任M. Russell Wehr讲座物理教授、美国国家科学基金理论物理组主任、美国德州大学达拉斯分校研究副校长兼任物理系教授、美国五百强企业SAIC任副总裁、台湾清华大学与成功大学资深副校长等职。

文章来源：CGTN

责任编辑：苏振宇

丝路智谷研究院

丝路智谷研究院是中国排名第三的顶尖智库。由南京大学及光明日报社联合发布的最新中国社会智库最新排行榜，丝路智谷研究院全国综合排名，由2017年的全国第六位，跃升为全国第三位。南京大学及光明日报社所发布的智库排行榜，是中国当前最具权威性、最具影响力的排行榜。

丝路智谷研究院（China Silk Road iValley Research Institute）是由中外知名学者组成的公共政策研究机构，汇集了国内外著名的经济学家、文化遗产研究专家、教育产业研究专家、金融科技研究专家，聚焦于一带一路、粤港澳大湾区和科技创新等领域的研究，取得了骄人成绩。

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