HKU POP SITE releases the survey on people's feeling towards different governments and peoplesBack

Press Release on November 17, 2009

Abstract

The Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong conducted a double stage survey on Hong Kong citizens' feeling towards different governments and peoples this month, by means of random telephone interviews conducted by real interviewers. The survey finds that Hong Kong people feel much more positively about other peoples than their governments, with the exception of Mainland China. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards fellow Hong Kong people is 19 percentage points higher than that towards the Hong Kong SAR Government, that towards the Taiwan people is 16 percentage points higher than that of the Taiwan government, and that towards the Macau people is 4 percentage points higher than that of the Macau SAR government. However, their positive feeling towards Mainland Chinese people is 14 percentage points lower than that of the Mainland Chinese government. As for countries outside the cross-strait region, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards the people of Japan is 26 percentage points higher than that of the Japanese government, that towards the people of Thailand is 17 percentage points higher than that of the Thai government, that towards the people of France is 13 percentage points higher than that of the French government, and that towards the people of South Korea is 10 percentage points higher than that of the South Korean government. In terms of absolute percentages, Hong Kong people seem to dislike the governments of Thailand and Russia whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them. This finding is worth studying by various governments. Moreover, also worth noting is that compared to half a year ago, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Thai government has dropped by 16 percentage points, that towards the Japanese government has dropped 10 percentage points, that towards the Thai people has dropped 7 percentage points, that towards the French government has dropped 5 percentage points but their negative feeling towards Mainland Chinese people have risen by 6 percentage points. The sampling error of all percentages is between +/-1 and +/-4 percentage points at 95% confidence level while the response rate of the second stage opinion survey is 71%.

Points to note:

* The address of the "HKU POP SITE" is http://hkupop.pori.hk, journalists can check out the details of the survey there.
* The sample size of the first stage naming survey is 1,007 successful interviews, not 1,007 x 71.8% response rate, while the sample size of the second stage rating survey is 622 successful interviews, not 622 x 70.8% response rate. In the past, many media made this mistake.
* "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. When quoting these figures, journalists can state "sampling error of various percentages not more than +/-4% at 95% confidence level".
* When quoting percentages of this survey, journalists should refrain from reporting decimal places in order to match the precision level of the figures.
* The data of this survey is collected by means of random telephone interviews conducted by real interviewers, not by any interactive voice system (IVS). If a research organization uses "computerized random telephone survey" to camouflage its IVS operation, it should be considered unprofessional.

Latest Figures

POP today releases on schedule via the "POP SITE" the survey findings on Hong Kong people's feeling towards different governments and peoples. These surveys on governments are conducted at least once a year since 1997, while the surveys on peoples only began in 2007, this being the fifth time. As a general practice, all figures released today have been weighted according to provisional figures obtained from the Census and Statistics Department regarding the gender-age distribution of the Hong Kong population in 2009 mid-year. Herewith the contact information for the latest survey:

Date of survey	Overall sample size	Response rate	Sampling error of percentages*
3-7/11/09 (First stage naming survey)	1,007	71.8%	+/-3%
10-15/11/09 (Second stage opinion survey) **	622	70.8%	+/-4%

* Calculated at 95% confidence level using full sample size. "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. Questions using only sub-samples would have bigger sample error. For this survey, the sub-sample size of all questions has been controlled to no less than 500. Corresponding sampling errors have been reported in the statistical tables.
** The date and contact information do not cover other modules of the survey.

The research design of our survey on "people's feeling towards different governments and peoples" has been explained in detail under "Survey Method" in our corresponding web page. For many years, POP have selected 15 regions and countries that are best known to Hong Kong people, and conducted surveys to measure people's feeling towards the governments of these places. Our primary objective was to map Hong Kong people's cosmopolitan view over time. In 2007, we improved our research design. Our mid-2007 survey was divided into two stages, namely, a naming survey and an opinion survey. In the 2007 year-end survey, we further added the people module to the survey. In specific terms, in our naming survey, other than Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Macau, respondents can name, unaided, up to ten regions or countries which they know best. The four cross-strait regions together with 12 other regions and countries most frequently mentioned in the naming stage were then shortlisted into the second stage, with their governments and peoples rated by respondents as "very positive", "quite positive", "half-half", "quite negative" or "very negative". In our first stage survey conducted on November 3-7, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, France and Australia were mentioned most frequently. Please refer to the relevant table in our website for the rest of the list. Our second stage survey was conducted on November 10-15. The following table summarizes the findings of Hong Kong people's feeling towards the governments and peoples of the four cross-strait regions.

Date of survey		14-16/5/08	11-14/11/08	11-16/5/09	10-15/11/09
Sample base		1,005	1,012	1,011	622
Overall response rate		65.5%	69.1%	65.4%	70.8%
Feeling towards different governments / peoples **		Finding	Finding	Finding	Base^	Finding and error*	Latest change^^	Difference with gov'ts / peoples
Hong Kong	People Positive	57%	43%#	47%	528	43%+/-4%	-4%	+19%
	People Negative	3%	7%#	5%	528	9%+/-2%	+4%#	-11%
	Government Positive	42%	24%#	29%#	528	24%+/-4%	-5%#	-19%
	Government Negative	8%	23%#	16%#	528	20%+/-3%	+4%#	+11%
Mainland	People Positive	42%	37%#	37%	523	30%+/-4%	-7%#	-14%
	People Negative	13%	20%#	12%#	523	18%+/-3%	+6%#	+3%
	Government Positive	48%	45%	41%	523	44%+/-4%	+3%	+14%
	Government Negative	8%	13%#	11%	523	15%+/-3%	+4%#	-3%
Taiwan	People Positive	48%	31%#	39%#	525	40%+/-4%	+1%	+16%
	People Negative	5%	20%#	8%#	525	9%+/-2%	+1%	-13%
	Government Positive	22%	23%	25%	525	24%+/-4%	-1%	-16%
	Government Negative	30%	35%#	26%#	525	22%+/-4%	-4%	+13%
Macau	People Positive	46%	45%	46%	537	44%+/-4%	-2%	+4%
	People Negative	2%	2%	3%	537	3%+/-1%	--	-8%
	Government Positive	41%	50%#	44%#	537	40%+/-4%	-4%	-4%
	Government Negative	6%	7%	9%	537	11%+/-3%	+2%	+8%

Date of survey

14-16/5/08

11-14/11/08

11-16/5/09

10-15/11/09

Sample base

1,005

1,012

1,011

622

Overall response rate

65.5%

69.1%

65.4%

70.8%

Feeling towards different governments / peoples **

Finding

Base^

Finding and error*

Latest change^^

Difference with gov'ts / peoples

Singapore

People Positive

57%

52%#

54%

542

54%+/-4%

+5%

People Negative

542

2%+/-1%

-1%

-7%

Government Positive

54%

51%

50%

542

49%+/-4%

-1%

-5%

Government Negative

10%

542

9%+/-2%

-1%

+7%

Japan

People Positive

47%

48%

524

49%+/-4%

+1%

+26%

People Negative

524

7%+/-2%

-1%

-16%

Government Positive

19%

21%

17%#

524

23%+/-4%

+6%#

-26%

Government Negative

27%

26%

33%#

524

23%+/-4%

-10%#

+16%

Canada

People Positive

53%

47%#

51%

538

47%+/-4%

-4%

+2%

People Negative

538

2%+/-1%

+1%

Government Positive

46%

41%#

47%#

538

45%+/-4%

-2%

Government Negative

538

2%+/-1%

Australia

People Positive

46%

44%

49%#

519

42%+/-4%

-7%#

+2%

People Negative

519

3%+/-2%

+1%

-2%

Government Positive

39%

42%

45%

519

40%+/-4%

-5%#

-2%

Government Negative

519

5%+/-2%

+3%#

+2%

South Korea

People Positive

40%

38%

37%

519

40%+/-4%

+3%

+10%

People Negative

10%#

519

9%+/-3%

+1%

Government Positive

32%

25%#

24%

519

30%+/-4%

+6%#

-10%

Government Negative

11%

12%

519

9%+/-3%

-3%

United Kingdom

People Positive

36%

41%#

40%

539

36%+/-4%

-4%

+3%

People Negative

539

5%+/-2%

+1%

-5%

Government Positive

34%

39%#

36%

539

33%+/-4%

-3%

Government Negative

12%

8%#

10%

539

10%+/-3%

+5%

USA

People Positive

33%

36%

32%

536

33%+/-4%

+1%

+7%

People Negative

10%

536

10%+/-3%

-16%

Government Positive

15%

23%#

536

26%+/-4%

+3%

-7%

Government Negative

41%

42%

26%#

536

26%+/-4%

+16%

Thailand

People Positive

39%

36%

34%

534

31%+/-4%

-3%

+17%

People Negative

11%#

17%#

534

10%+/-3%

-7%#

-20%

Government Positive

23%

13%#

9%#

534

14%+/-3%

+5%#

-17%

Government Negative

19%

37%#

46%#

534

30%+/-4%

-16%#

+20%

Germany

People Positive

32%

31%

32%

537

29%+/-4%

-3%

+5%

People Negative

537

3%+/-1%

-1%

Government Positive

27%

25%

28%

537

24%+/-4%

-4%

-5%

Government Negative

537

4%+/-2%

-1%

+1%

France

People Positive

27%

29%

31%

521

28%+/-4%

-3%

+13%

People Negative

11%

5%#

8%#

521

8%+/-2%

-7%

Government Positive

16%

20%#

16%#

521

15%+/-3%

-1%

-13%

Government Negative

23%

11%#

20%#

521

15%+/-3%

-5%#

+7%

Italy

People Positive

28%

24%

28%

525

25%+/-4%

-3%

+8%

People Negative

3%#

525

5%+/-2%

+2%

-2%

Government Positive

19%

17%

525

17%+/-3%

-8%

Government Negative

525

7%+/-2%

+1%

+2%

Russia

People Positive

19%

25%#

543

20%+/-3%

+5%

People Negative

543

6%+/-2%

-15%

Government Positive

16%

17%

543

15%+/-3%

-5%

Government Negative

21%

23%

543

21%+/-4%

+15%

Malaysia

People Positive

33%

People Negative

Government Positive

22%

Government Negative

14%

* Errors are calculated at 95% confidence level. "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. Media can state "sampling error of percentages not more than +/-4% at 95% confidence level" when quoting the above figures. The error margin of previous survey can be found at the POP Site.
** Collapsed from a 5-point scale.
^ The sample size for each question varies, but has been controlled to no less than 500. Corresponding sampling errors have all been given.
^^ Comparison made with survey findings of 11-16/5/09.
# Such changes have gone beyond the sampling errors at the 95% confidence level, meaning that they are statistically significant prima facie. However, whether numerical differences are statistically significant or not is not the same as whether they are practically useful or meaningful.

Findings obtained in mid-November showed that, as regards the results of people's feeling towards different peoples, 43% felt positive towards the HKSAR people while 9% felt negative. For the other cross-strait regions, the corresponding positive figures for the Mainland, Taiwan and Macau SAR peoples were 30%, 40% and 44%, while the corresponding negative figures were 18%, 9% and 3%. As for the peoples of other regions and countries, the positive figures for Singapore, Japan, Canada, and Australia were highest, with 54%, 49%, 47% and 42% respectively, while those for South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, Thailand, Germany, France and Italy were 40%, 36%, 33%, 31%, 29%, 28% and 25% correspondingly. Lastly, only 20% expressed positive feelings towards the people of Russia.

The latest survey showed that, regarding the results of people's feeling towards different governments, 24% felt positive towards the HKSAR government while 20% felt negative. For the other cross-strait governments, the corresponding positive figures for the Mainland, Taiwan and Macau SAR governments were 44%, 24% and 40%, while the corresponding negative figures were 15%, 22% and 11%. As for other governments, the positive figures for Singapore, Canada and Australia were 49%, 45% and 40% respectively, while those for the United Kingdom, South Korea, the United States, Germany, Japan, Italy, France and Russia were 33%, 30%, 26%, 24%, 23%, 17%, 15% and 15% correspondingly. Lastly, only 14% expressed positive feelings towards the government of Thailand.

Opinion Daily

In January 2007, POP opened a feature page called "Opinion Daily" at the "POP Site", to record significant events and selected polling figures on a day-to-day basis, in order to let readers judge by themselves the reasons for the ups and downs of different opinion figures. In July 2007, POP collaborated with Wisers Information Limited whereby Wisers supplies to POP each day starting from July 24, a record of significant events of that day, according to the research method designed by POP. These daily entries would be uploaded to "Opinion Daily" as soon as they are verified by POP.

For the polling items covered in this press release, the previous survey was conducted from May 11 to 16, 2009 while this survey was conducted from November 10 to 15, 2009. During this period, herewith the significant events selected from counting newspaper headlines and commentaries on a daily basis and covered by at least 25% of the local newspaper articles. Readers can make their own judgment if these significant events have any impacts to different polling figures.

15/11/09	United States President Barack Obama arrives at Shanghai and kicks off his first visit to China.
27/10/09	Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen launches a scathing attack on the media.
24/10/09	Many newspapers on the following day keep reporting CE Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's sister-in-law got compensation for losses on Lehman Brothers minibonds.
22/10/09	Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen names two new undersecretaries to join his embattled team of political appointees.
16/10/09	Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen stresses that there is no conflicts of interests in the lightbulb plan.
14/10/09	Many newspapers report and discuss on the Chief Executive Donald Tsang's Policy Address.
9/10/09	Many newspapers report and discuss on Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
1/10/09	The People's Republic of China celebrates its 60th anniversary.
11/9/09	Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian's family for corruption charges.
5/9/09	The party boss of Urumqi and the police chief in Xinjiang are sacked.
1/9/09	All family members of Taiwan ex-president Chen Shui-bian were sentenced to jail.
18/8/09	Taiwan's President Ma Ying jeou apologizes to the victims who suffer bereavement.
26/7/09	Fernando Chui Sai-on is elected as Macau's new Chief Executive.
8/7/09	President Hu Jintao cuts short his G8 summit trip and returns to Beijing to deal with the Xinjiang riot.
26/5/09	Many newspapers report that Hong Kong government announces a $16.8 billion economic relief package.
23/5/09	Former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun jumps to his death from a cliff.

Commentary

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, observed, "Our latest survey shows that Hong Kong people feel much more positively about other peoples than their governments, with the exception of Mainland China. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards fellow Hong Kong people is 19 percentage points higher than that towards the Hong Kong SAR Government, that towards the Taiwan people is 16 percentage points higher than that of the Taiwan government, and that towards the Macau people is 4 percentage points higher than that of the Macau SAR government. However, their positive feeling towards Mainland Chinese people is 14 percentage points lower than that of the Mainland Chinese government. As for countries outside the cross-strait region, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards the people of Japan is 26 percentage points higher than that of the Japanese government, that towards the people of Thailand is 17 percentage points higher than that of the Thai government, that towards the people of France is 13 percentage points higher than that of the French government, and that towards the people of South Korea is 10 percentage points higher than that of the South Korean government. In terms of absolute percentages, Hong Kong people seem to dislike the governments of Thailand and Russia whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them. This finding is worth studying by various governments. Moreover, also worth noting is that compared to half a year ago, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Thai government has dropped by 16 percentage points, that towards the Japanese government has dropped 10 percentage points, that towards the Thai people has dropped 7 percentage points, that towards the French government has dropped 5 percentage points but their negative feeling towards Mainland Chinese people have risen by 6 percentage points. Regarding such changes, readers can make their own judgment using detailed records shown in our 'Opinion Daily' feature page. It should be noted, however, that our survey only covers regions and countries best known to Hong Kong people. Hong Kong people may well like or dislike other places much more, but because they are not the most well-known places, they do not appear on the list by design."

Next Releases (Tentative)

Nov 24, 2009 (Tuesday) 1pm to 2pm: Popularity of CE and HKSAR Government