HKU POP SITE releases a column article analyzing the influence on several indicators on Hong Kong people's trust and confidence by the outbreak of atypical pneumonia and the sackings of senior officials in BeijingBack

The "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) of the Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong today releases in its "POP Column" a bilingual article entitled "Central Government's Decisive Action wins Public Support" and written by Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of the Public Opinion Programme at HKU, the article analyzed the change in Hong Kong people's trust in Beijing Central and the HKSAR Governments, as well as their confidence in Hong Kong's future, China's future and "one country, two systems" after the outbreak of atypical pneumonia and the sackings of senior officials in Beijing. The article also emphasized the importance of a decisive and open-minded leadership core for upholding Hong Kong's advantages.

The article pointed out that the SARS epidemic has weakened the credibility of the HKSAR and Beijing Central Governments, such that people's trust in the two Governments and their confidence in Hong Kong's future, China's future and "one country, two systems" has all declined. However, after Beijing's sackings of Health Minister Zhang Wenkang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong, all 5 indicators have rebounded. According to Chung, the dismissal was "very much in line with the wishes and mindset of the Hong Kong people". Besides, the article criticized that "(the HKSAR Government's) leading team (was) becoming more and more conservative and old-fashioned" as reflected by its handling of the calamity, such that Hong Kong has "lost the advantages we once owned". Chung stressed that, only when our government officials become resolute and open-minded, while respecting the public's quest for truth, could they lead people away from their sufferings, to anchor Hong Kong firmly in the world.

The copyright of the column article is entirely open, and anyone can re-print it in whole or in part. Please note that everything carried in the POP Site does not represent the stand of the University of Hong Kong. Dr Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, is responsible for everything posted in the POP Site, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors. The authors of the column articles are responsible for their own writings, while the translators are responsible for their own translations.