A not unfamiliar feminine name appeared in an obituary today. As there is a HKU campus building carrying the same name, I checked, out of curiosity, online images to see if the name corresponded with the image I cooked up in mind. To my utter surprise, the deceased was a gentleman, and had the emotional profile of from rags to riches.
Supposing you read Chinese and have a need to know an unknown mainland Chinese, what can you do? Is it enough just to understand the information eg name and identity number contained in documents presented to you? Would you accept eg a verification by somebody who claimed to have known the subject person for decades?
In Hong Kong probate matters, use of public documents issued by mainland Chinese authorities necessitates two steps. First, the holder has to obtain a notarial certificate from the local notarial office. Second, the notarial certificate has to be further certified by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the authenticity of the notarial signature or seal.
Between mainland China and Hong Kong, the "one country, two legal systems" is at work. In Hong Kong circumstances where the identity of a mainland Chinese person is at issue, it is prudent to follow the practice in verifying the person's identity. Knowing what you need to know not only discharges your duty of care, but also establishes evidence-based trust!