ang ▁and ▁others , ▁for ▁years ▁to ▁have ▁Chinese ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁an ▁official ▁language . ▁ ▁Elli ott ▁became ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Urban ▁Council ▁with ▁Ger ry ▁F ors gate ▁as ▁chairman ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Until ▁her ▁defeat ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁she ▁had ▁always ▁been ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁the ▁Urban ▁Council ▁with ▁the ▁highest ▁votes . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁sp okes w oman ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Association ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁which ▁advoc ated ▁self - g overn ment ▁in ▁the ▁col ony ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁Elli ott ▁went ▁to ▁London ▁and ▁met ▁with ▁polit icians ▁including ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁the ▁Col on ies ▁Frederick ▁Lee ▁and ▁M embers ▁of ▁Parliament , ▁seeking ▁a ▁Royal ▁Commission ▁of ▁In qu iry ▁into ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁on ▁the ▁col ony ' s ▁economic ▁inequality , ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁the ▁colonial ▁government ▁and ▁self - g overn ment ▁for ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁as ▁seen ▁in ▁other ▁British ▁colon ies . ▁She ▁also ▁invited ▁some ▁M embers ▁of ▁Parliament ▁to ▁visit ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁deleg ations ▁of ▁elected ▁Urban ▁Coun c ill ors ▁to ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁proposed ▁constitution al ▁changes ▁for ▁Hong ▁Kong . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁when ▁District ▁Bo ards ▁were ▁set ▁up , ▁Urban ▁Coun c ill ors ▁were ▁appointed ▁ex