On 13 November, (from right) Prof. Simon Haines, chair of the CUHK English Department; Hon. Michael Tien, member of the Legislative Council; and Dr. Richard Vulysteke, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong) discussed the effect of Hong Kong's declining English skills on its competitiveness at a conference organized by EF Education First, whose annual publication of the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) ranks more than 60 countries and territories by adult English skills.