Don't US universities have similar requirements, e.g. English 101/102? Plus, for foreign students to get admitted, you need to pass English proficiency test. As a matter of fact, in mainland China, there is no Chinese course requirement at college level, unless your major is in Chinese literature. The curriculum at Hong Kong universities probably resembles the western education system more.
It could not be more wrong.
In the US or Australia, you need English proficiency to start University or College, either you need to take ESL in local High School or one of those TOEFL or TOEIC or IELTS. Which basically designed from ground up to non-English speaker to test how well they manage English (Even tho the truth cannot be farther off) And when an native English Speaker, such as myself, took the test, you will basically Aced that without any effort.
On the other hand the former HKALE (does not exist anymore as they were merged with HKCEE to form HKDSE) Chinese is more like a 600 level Chinese in any western University, it was designed from ground up to filter LOCAL student, 55% of local native Chinese speaker will fail this subject out of the potential 120,000 HKALE space. If a foreigner try to study that Chinese Language and Culture, then he will probably will ended up failing it,
The different is, while English 101/102 or ESL or all the international standardised test were testing the basic English Knowledge and communication of a student, a HKALE Chinese exam tested advanced knowledge, you don't just lean how to write a simple sentence, you need to learn all kind of Chinese, range from all type of written communique, to poem, which is not something you will try if you speak Chinese as a secondary language.
When I was studying in Hong Kong, there are two way of University Entry. JUPAS (Which follow the local curriculum Form-6 and Form-7 then HKALE) or Non-JUPAS (Which basically Diploma/Advance Diploma Entry, GCSE Entry or Local International School Entry) where it used to be 70/30 ration for JUPAS and Non-JUPAS. I must say that now is more than 50/50 due to the fact the bridging degree are quite rampant now (Where you have a AS in some subject and the College allowed you to study for one year and convert that AS to BS) But before, if you are foreigner, either you go complete with the 30,000 odd Non-Jupas place with all other people, or went in and get HKALE which is next to impossible.
So, no, the old system is nothing like the Western System or British Commonwealth System. In country like Australia or US, People have multiple avenue of entry into University beside SAT/UPI or UAC. I can get in any Australian Uni by starting a diploma course, then bridge directly to year 2 in bachelor studies, the same I an do in an US College when I can start a AS or GED and bridge directly to College, this is not going to happen in Hong Kong just maybe 5 years ago, now, it's changed a bit, still JUPAS is the main avenue of entry to college.