Letter: Chinese and Welsh

Sir: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (Comment, 18 March) writes of her

distaste for devolution. She can accept that "Blacks and Asians" have a British identity but not a Welsh or a Scottish identity.

As an inhabitant of Wales I can reassure her that I have been able to be Welsh as well as enjoying my German, Polish and English heritage, whilst my children are able to be Welsh as well as retaining their Chinese heritage and language through the Chinese community in Wales.

Multiculturalism is a fact of life in Wales. Sadly, what also is a fact of life is unemployment, poverty-stricken hill farmers, dilapidated schools, cash-strapped hospitals and social inequality. These can be addressed more directly from Cardiff than from Westminster.

A loathing of racism is not a reason to avoid greater democratisation but rather a reason to embrace it. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is doing the Black and Asian communities in Wales and Scotland a disservice by not positively encouraging them to vote and stand for election.

HANNA CHEUNG

Caernarfon, North Wales