English a Must for Southern City's Civil Servants

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 ◆ English a Must for Southern City's Civil Servants

Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong province, will require all its civil servants to be able to communicate in English by 2004.

It is becoming increasingly important for civil servants to be proficient in English now that China is a World Trade Organization (WTO) member, said an official from the city's public relations' bureau.

All civil servants born after 1960 will have to pass a standard English test by the end of 2004. The basic requirements will include having an English vocabulary of 1,000 words as well as about 200 basic sentences, and being able to read, write, understand and speak simple English.

The English proficiency test will be conducted every quarter starting from the second half of this year. Results will be taken into account during annual staff evaluations and when considering staff for promotion.

The official did not say what will happen to him or her if a civil servant fails to pass the test.