HKU POP SITE releases findings on people's feeling towards different governments and peoples Back

Press Release on November 16, 2010

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's positive feeling towards the Philippine government is almost zero, while their negative feeling has surged to record high since this series of survey began, giving a net feeling of negative 77 percentage points. People's net feeling towards the Filipino people now stands at negative 11 percentage points. Such feelings are obviously affected by the Manila hostage incident and the compulsory insurance scheme for overseas workers newly introduced by the Philippine government. At the other front, affected by the Diaoyu Islands incident, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Japanese government has also surged, giving a net feeling of negative 43 percentage points. People's feeling towards the people of Japan, however, has remained positive, at a net value of positive 20 percentage points. On the whole, Hong Kong people tend to feel more positively about other peoples than their governments. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards fellow Hong Kong people is 26 percentage points higher than that of the Hong Kong SAR Government, that towards the Taiwan people is 23 percentage points higher than that towards the Taiwan government, that towards the Macau people is 2 percentage points higher than that of the Macau SAR Government, while that towards the people and the government of Mainland China are the same. As for countries and regions outside the cross-strait regions, 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 20 percentage points higher than that of the Thai government, that towards the people of the United States is 17 percentage points higher than that of the American government, that towards the people of the Philippines is 16 percentage points higher than that of the Philippine government, that towards the people of France is 12 percentage points higher than that of the French government, that towards the people of Italy is 11 percentage points higher than that of the Italian government, while 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 the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, the United States and Taiwan whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them, with the exception of the Filipino people this time. The maximum 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 67%.

Points to note:

[1] The address of the "HKU POP SITE" is http://hkupop.pori.hk, journalists can check out the details of the survey there.
[2] The sample size of the first stage naming survey is 1,008 successful interviews, not 1,008 x 64.1% response rate, while the sample size of the second stage rating survey is 1,003 successful interviews, not 1,003 x 67.1% response rate. In the past, many media made this mistake.
[3] "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".
[4] When quoting percentages of this survey, journalists should refrain from reporting decimal places in order to match the precision level of the figures.
[5] 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 seventh 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 mid-2010. Herewith the contact information for the latest survey:

Date of survey	Overall sample size	Response rate	Sampling error of percentages^[6]
2-6/11/2010 (First stage naming survey)	1,008	64.1%	+/-3%
8-12/11/2010 (Second stage opinion survey)	1,003	67.1%	+/-3%

[6] 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 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 2-6, 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 8-12. 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		11-16/5/09	10-15/11/09	7-12/5/10	8-12/11/10
Sample base		1,011	622	1,018	1,003
Overall response rate		65.4%	70.8%	70.2%	67.1%
Feeling towards different governments / people^[8]		Finding	Finding	Finding	Base^[9]	Finding and error^[7]	Latest change^[10]	Difference with gov'ts / peoples
Hong Kong	People Positive	47%	43%	44%	543	50+/-4%	+6%^[11]	+26%
	People Negative	5%	9%^[11]	10%	543	7+/-2%	-3%^[11]	-15%
	Government Positive	29%^[11]	24%^[11]	23%	543	24+/-4%	+1%	-26%
	Government Negative	16%^[11]	20%^[11]	26%^[11]	543	22+/-4%	-4%	+15%
Mainland	People Positive	37%	30%^[11]	26%	543	33+/-4%	+7^[11]	--
	People Negative	12%^[11]	18%^[11]	22%	543	16+/-3%	-6%^[11]	-6%
	Government Positive	41%	44%	32%^[11]	543	33+/-4%	+1%	--
	Government Negative	11%	15%^[11]	21%^[11]	543	22+/-4%	+1%	+6%
Taiwan	People Positive	39%^[11]	40%	42%	559	42+/-4%	--	+23%
	People Negative	8%^[11]	9%	8%	559	7+/-2%	-1%	-15%
	Government Positive	25%	24%	19%^[11]	559	19+/-3%	--	-23%
	Government Negative	26%^[11]	22%	22%	559	22+/-4%	--	+15%
Macau	People Positive	46%	44%	40%	529	44+/-4%	+4%	+2%
	People Negative	3%	3%	4%	529	2+/-1%	-2%^[11]	-7%
	Government Positive	44%^[11]	40%	34%^[11]	529	42+/-4%	+8%^[11]	-2%
	Government Negative	9%	11%	15%^[11]	529	9+/-3%	-6%^[11]	+7%

[7] All error figures in the table 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.
[8] Collapsed from a 5-point scale.
[9] The sample size for each question varies, but has been controlled to no less than 500. Corresponding sampling errors have all been given.
[10] Comparison made with survey findings of 7-12/5/10.
[11] 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.

Herewith the findings of Hong Kong people's feelings towards the governments and peoples of 12 regions and countries other than the four cross-strait regions. They are ranked according to Hong Kong people's positive and negative feelings towards their people.

Date of survey		11-16/5/09	10-15/11/09	7-12/5/10	8-12/11/10
Sample base		1,011	622	1,018	1,003
Overall response rate		65.4%	70.8%	70.2%	67.1%
Feeling towards different governments / peoples^[13]		Finding	Finding	Finding	Base^[14]	Finding and error^[12]	Latest change^[15]	Difference with gov'ts / peoples
Singapore	People Positive	54%	54%	57%	558	56+/-4%	-1%	+2%
	People Negative	3%	2%	5%^[16]	558	3+/-1%	-2%^[16]	-3%
	Government Positive	50%	49%	57%^[16]	558	54+/-4%	-3%	-2%
	Government Negative	10%	9%	8%	558	6+/-2%	-2%	+3%
Canada	People Positive	51%	47%	50%	527	48+/-4%	-2%	+6%
	People Negative	1%	2%	2%	527	1+/-1%	-1%	-1%
	Government Positive	47%^[16]	45%	45%	527	42+/-4%	-3%	-6%
	Government Negative	2%	2%	2%	527	2+/-1%	--	+1%
Australia	People Positive	49%^[16]	42%^[16]	46%	518	44+/-4%	-2%	+5%
	People Negative	2%	3%	5%	518	3+/-2%	-2%	--
	Government Positive	45%	40%^[16]	42%	518	39+/-4%	-3%	-5%
	Government Negative	2%	5%^[16]	4%	518	3+/-2%	-1%	--
South Korea	People Positive	37%	40%	38%	524	40+/-4%	+2%	+10%
	People Negative	8%	9%	7%	524	7+/-2%	--	-5%
	Government Positive	24%	30%^[16]	31%	524	30+/-4%	-1%	-10%
	Government Negative	12%	9%	11%	524	12+/-3%	+1%	+5%
United Kingdom	People Positive	40%	36%	38%	511	38+/-4%	--	+2%
	People Negative	4%	5%	6%	511	6+/-2%	--	-6%
	Government Positive	36%	33%	33%	511	36+/-4%	+3%	-2%
	Government Negative	10%	10%	12%	511	12+/-3%	--	+6%
USA	People Positive	32%	33%	33%	550	35+/-4%	+2%	+17%
	People Negative	10%	10%	12%	550	10+/-3%	-2%	-29%
	Government Positive	23%^[16]	26%	21%^[16]	550	18+/-3%	-3%	-17%
	Government Negative	26%^[16]	26%	32%^[16]	550	39+/-4%	+7%^[16]	+29%
Japan	People Positive	48%	49%	48%	531	35+/-4%	-13%^[16]	+26%
	People Negative	8%	7%	9%	531	15+/-3%	+6%^[16]	-37%
	Government Positive	17%^[16]	23%^[16]	20%	531	9+/-3%	-11%^[16]	-26%
	Government Negative	33%^[16]	23%^[16]	25%	531	52+/-4%	+27%^[16]	+37%
Thailand	People Positive	34%	31%	30%	535	35+/-4%	+5%^[16]	+20%
	People Negative	17%^[16]	10%^[16]	24%^[16]	535	17+/-3%	-7%^[16]	-24%
	Government Positive	9%^[16]	14%^[16]	8%^[16]	535	15+/-3%	+7%^[16]	-20%
	Government Negative	46%^[16]	30%^[16]	50%^[16]	535	41+/-4%	-9%^[16]	+24%
Germany	People Positive	32%	29%	33%	521	33+/-4%	--	+5%
	People Negative	3%	3%	2%	521	2+/-1%	--	-1%
	Government Positive	28%	24%	26%	521	28+/-4%	+2%	-5%
	Government Negative	5%	4%	2%	521	3+/-2%	+1%	+1%
Italy	People Positive	28%	25%	26%	534	28+/-4%	+2%	+11%
	People Negative	3%^[16]	5%	4%	534	3+/-2%	-1%	-6%
	Government Positive	17%	17%	17%	534	17+/-3%	--	-11%
	Government Negative	6%	7%	9%	534	9+/-2%	--	+6%
France	People Positive	31%	28%	26%	519	28+/-4%	+2%	+12%
	People Negative	8%^[16]	8%	8%	519	7+/-2%	-1%	-7%
	Government Positive	16%^[16]	15%	16%	519	16+/-3%	--	-12%
	Government Negative	20%^[16]	15%^[16]	15%	519	14+/-3%	-1%	+7%
The Philippines	People Positive	--	--	--	534	18+/-3%	--	+16%
	People Negative	--	--	--	534	29+/-4%	--	-50%
	Government Positive	--	--	--	534	2+/-1%	--	-16%
	Government Negative	--	--	--	534	79+/-4%	--	+50%

[12] All error figures in the table 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.
[13] Collapsed from a 5-point scale.
[14] The sample size for each question varies, but has been controlled to no less than 500. Corresponding sampling errors have all been given.
[15] Comparison made with survey findings of 7-12/5/10.
[16] 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 the first half of November showed that, as regards the results of people's feeling towards different peoples, 50% felt positive towards the HKSAR people while 7% felt negative. For the other cross-strait regions, the corresponding positive figures for the Mainland, Taiwan and Macau SAR peoples were 33%, 42% and 44%, while the corresponding negative figures were 16%, 7% and 2%. As for the peoples of other regions and countries, the positive figures for Singapore, Canada, Australia, and South Korea were highest, with 56%, 48%, 44% and 40% respectively, while those for the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Germany, Italy and France were 38%, 35%, 35%, 35%, 33%, 28% and 28% correspondingly. Lastly, only 18% expressed positive feelings towards the people of the Philippines.

The latest survey also showed that, regarding the results of people's feeling towards different governments, 24% felt positive towards the HKSAR government while 22% felt negative. For the other cross-strait governments, the corresponding positive figures for the Mainland, Taiwan and Macau SAR governments were 33%, 19% and 42%, while the corresponding negative figures were 22%, 22% and 9%. As for other governments, the positive figures for Singapore and Canada were 54% and 42% correspondingly, while those for Australia, the United Kingdom and South Korea were 39%, 36% and 30% correspondingly, those for Germany, the United States, Italy, France, Thailand and Japan were 28%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15% and 9% correspondingly. Lastly, only 2% expressed positive feelings towards the government of the Philippines.

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 7 to 12, 2010 while this survey was conducted from November 8 to 12, 2010. 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.

12/11/10	Asian Games opened in Guangzhou.
4/11/10	The US Federal Reserve announces its second round of quantitative easing.
31/10/10	The curtain drops on the Shanghai 2010 World Expo on 31 October.
16/10/10	The sovereignty dispute over Diaoyu Islands triggered large-scale demonstrations in both China and Japan.
13/10/10	Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen delivered 2010 annual Policy Address.
11/10/10	No official is filed criminal charge in the investigation report of the hostage case of Hong Kong travel tour in Manila.
8/1010	Beijing human rights activist Liu Xiaobo wins Nobel Peace Prize.
24/9/10	Captain Zhan is finally released after a 17-days detention by Japan.
17/9/10	Protests against Japan are launched in different Chinese cities due to the sovereignty of Diaoyu Islands.
29/8/10	People marched in silence to mourn the eight Hong Kong people who were killed in the Manila hostage incident.
23/8/10	One Hong Kong travel tour was hostaged in Manila, ended up with eight tourists dead and seven injured.
15/8/10	August 15 was set the National Mourning Day for mudflow in Zhouqu.
29/6/10	Mainland China and Taiwan sign ECFA.
25/5/10	The tension in Korean Peninsula and Europe's debt crisis affect global stock market.
19/5/10	Thai government launches a military crackdown on the protest.

Commentary

Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, observed, "Our latest survey finds that Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards the Philippine government is almost zero, while their negative feeling has surged to record high since this series of survey began, giving a net feeling of negative 77 percentage points. People's net feeling towards the Filipino people now stands at negative 11 percentage points. Such feelings are obviously affected by the Manila hostage incident and the compulsory insurance scheme for overseas workers newly introduced by the Philippine government. At the other front, affected by the Diaoyu Islands incident, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Japanese government has also surged, giving a net feeling of negative 43 percentage points. People's feeling towards the people of Japan, however, has remained positive, at a net value of positive 20 percentage points. On the whole, Hong Kong people tend to feel more positively about other peoples than their governments. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards fellow Hong Kong people is 26 percentage points higher than that of the Hong Kong SAR Government, that towards the Taiwan people is 23 percentage points higher than that towards the Taiwan government, that towards the Macau people is 2 percentage points higher than that of the Macau SAR Government, while that towards the people and the government of Mainland China are the same. As for countries and regions outside the cross-strait regions, 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 20 percentage points higher than that of the Thai government, that towards the people of the United States is 17 percentage points higher than that of the American government, that towards the people of the Philippines is 16 percentage points higher than that of the Philippine government, that towards the people of France is 12 percentage points higher than that of the French government, that towards the people of Italy is 11 percentage points higher than that of the Italian government, while 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 the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, the United States and Taiwan whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them, with the exception of the Filipino people this time. As for the reasons affecting the ups and downs of these figures, 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."

Future Release (Tentative)

November 23, 2010 (Tuesday) 1pm to 2pm: People's most familiar political figures