The main reasons behind the confusion over identity are the policies of the colonial government, especially in education and administration. For example, the government deliberately chose not to teach Chinese history and culture, nor civics, in the schools. All documents of law and administration had to be in English. And instruction in English was supported by the state.
港府在教育、統治上採取一些策略，例如刻意不教中國歷史、文化及公民教育的課程，法律、官方文書一律採用英文，刻意扶植的英文政策等，是使這種複雜認同形成的主因。