HKU POP SITE releases the latest findings of people's satisfaction with the current social conditions and the survey on Taiwan issuesBack


Press Release on September 21, 2004
 

The Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong today releases on schedule via the "HKU POP SITE" (http://hkupop.pori.hk) the latest findings of people's satisfaction with the current social conditions and the survey on Taiwan issues. Recent figures of people's satisfaction with the current social conditions are summarized as follows:

 
 Date of survey 8-10/9/03 10-14/12/03 6-9/3/04 7-11/6/04 13-15/9/04 Latest change
 Sample base 1,021 1,059 1,030 1,027 1,023 --
 Overall response rate 70.9% 63.5% 65.0% 66.9% 64.4% --
 Sampling error of percentages (at 95% conf. level)* +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% --
 Most concerned with economic problems 74% 65% 64% 63% 65% +2%
 Most concerned with social problems 13% 22% 17% 20% 21% +1%
 Most concerned with political problems 4% 6% 10% 10% 8% -2%
 Current economic condition: Dissatisfaction rate** 68% 62% 43% 55% 55% --
 Current economic condition: Satisfaction rate** 8% 11% 14% 16% 14% -2%
 Current political condition: Dissatisfaction rate** 47% 46% 54% 60% 47% -13%
 Current political condition: Satisfaction rate** 16% 15% 14% 8% 17% +9%
 Current social condition: Dissatisfaction rate** 44% 42% 39% 45% 39% -6%
 Current social condition: Satisfaction rate** 26% 24% 23% 19% 28% +9%

* "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified.
** Collapsed from a 5-point scale.

 

The survey conducted in mid-September after the Legislative Council election showed that 65% of the respondents were most concerned with economic problems these days, 21% with social problems, while 8% attached their greatest concern to political problems. Meanwhile, people's dissatisfaction rates with the current economic, political and social conditions were 55%, 47% and 39% correspondingly. The latest figures of people's opinions towards Taiwan issues are summarized as follows:

 
 Date of survey 8-10/9/03 10-14/12/03 6-9/3/04 7-11/6/04 13-15/9/04 Latest change
 Sample base 1,021 1,059 1,030 1,027 1,023 --
 Overall response rate 70.9% 63.5% 65.0% 66.9% 64.4% --
 Sampling error of percentages (at 95% conf. level)* +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% +/- 3% --
 Taiwan independence: Opposition rate 65% 74% 71% 73% 75% +2%
 Taiwan independence: Support rate 17% 11% 12% 11% 12% +1%
 No-confidence in cross-strait reunification 48% 36% 44% 41% 45% +4%
 Confidence in cross-strait reunification 30% 46% 35% 40% 39% -1%
 Believed "one country, two systems" was applicable to TW 38% 46% 40% 37% 44% +7%
 Believed "one country, two systems" was not applicable to TW 38% 32% 35% 37% 36% -1%

* "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified.

 

Results obtained in mid-September revealed that, 75% of the Hong Kong people interviewed opposed the independence of Taiwan whereas 12% showed support. Meanwhile, 45% were not confident in the ultimate reunification across the strait whilst 39% expressed confidence. As for the applicability of "one country, two systems" to Taiwan, 44% gave a positive view while 36 % gave a negative view.

 

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, analyzed: "The survey was conducted after the Legislative Council election. Although people were dissatisfied with the current political condition, the dissatisfaction rate has experienced a drastic drop of 13 percentage points in 3 months and recovered to that of the end of last year, probably because of the more relaxed political atmosphere. People have become most dissatisfied with the economic condition, followed by political and social conditions. Besides, there was basically no change in Hong Kong people's opposition rate against Taiwan independence. People still lacked confidence in the ultimate reunification across the strait, but the proportion of people who believed that 'one country, two systems' was applicable to Taiwan has rebounded significantly. However, the effect of Jiang Zemin's stepping down from the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission could not be covered by this survey."

 

POP's normal practice is to release the results of our regular surveys every Tuesday at 2 pm via our POP Site, except during public holidays, each time with a forecast of the items to be released in the forthcoming week. We will review and adjust this operation regularly. The date and time of our next release will be September 28, 2004, Tuesday, at 2 pm, the latest popularity of CE Tung Chee-hwa and the HKSAR Government will be released.

 

Shall any person or journalist have any other questions, please email them to us at <[email protected]. The Director of Public Opinion Programme would answer them as soon as possible. We will keep such an arrangement under constant review, suggestions most welcome. 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 herewith, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors.