HKU POP releases findings on people's feeling towards different governments and peoplesBack

Press Release on June 9, 2011

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 in April and May, by means of random telephone interviews conducted by real interviewers. The survey shows that Hong Kong people feel much more positively about other peoples than their governments, with the exception of Macau which has equal rates. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards Taiwan people is 27 percentage points higher than that of the Taiwan government, that towards fellow Hong Kong people is 19 percentage points higher than that towards the Hong Kong SAR Government, and that towards the Mainland Chinese people is 1 percentage point higher than that of the Mainland Chinese Government. However, their positive feeling towards Macau people and the Macau SAR government is the same. As for countries and regions outside the cross-strait regions, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards the people of Japan is 34 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of the United States is 19 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of Thailand is 15 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of France is 12 percentage points higher than their government, while that towards the people of South Korea is 10 percentage points higher than their government. In terms of absolute percentages and ranked by net values, Hong Kong people seem to dislike the governments of Thailand, the United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Italy and Japan whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them, except with Mainland Chinese people. This finding is worth studying by various governments. Moreover, compared to half a year ago, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Japanese government has plummeted by 25 percentage points, while positive feeling towards the Japanese people has surged by 25 percentage points, probably because of their sympathy towards Japan for having to face so many natural and man-made disasters. 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 65%.

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 1,024 successful interviews, not 1,024 x 61.9% response rate, while the sample size of the second stage rating survey is 1,000 successful interviews, not 1,000 x 65.5% 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 eighth 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 2010 year-end. Herewith the contact information for the latest survey:

Date of survey	Overall sample size	Response rate	Sampling error of percentages^[6]
27/4-9/5/2011 (First stage naming survey)	1,024	61.9%	+/-3%
12-16/5/2011 (Second stage opinion survey)	1,000	65.5%	+/-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 April 27 to May 9, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and France 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 May 12 to 16. 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		10-15/11/09	7-12/5/10	8-12/11/10	12-16/5/11
Sample base		622	1,018	1,003	1,000
Overall response rate		70.8%	70.2%	67.1%	65.5%
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	43%	44%	50%^[11]	532	39+/-4%	-11%^[11]	+19%
	People Negative	9%^[11]	10%	7%^[11]	532	9+/-2%	+2%	-18%
	Government Positive	24%^[11]	23%	24%	532	20+/-3%	-4%^[11]	-19%
	Government Negative	20%^[11]	26%^[11]	22%	532	27+/-4%	+5%^[11]	+18%
Mainland	People Positive	30%^[11]	26%	33%^[11]	543	23+/-4%	-10%^[11]	+1%
	People Negative	18%^[11]	22%	16%^[11]	543	28+/-4%	+12%^[11]	+3%
	Government Positive	44%	32%^[11]	33%	543	22+/-4%	-11%^[11]	-1%
	Government Negative	15%^[11]	21%^[11]	22%	543	25+/-4%	+3%	-3%
Taiwan	People Positive	40%	42%	42%	521	48+/-4%	+6%^[11]	+27%
	People Negative	9%	8%	7%	521	5+/-2%	-2%	-10%
	Government Positive	24%	19%^[11]	19%	521	21+/-4%	+2%	-27%
	Government Negative	22%	22%	22%	521	15+/-3%	-7%^[11]	+10%
Macau	People Positive	44%	40%	44%	558	39+/-4%	-5%^[11]	--
	People Negative	3%	4%	2%^[11]	558	2+/-1%	--	-6%
	Government Positive	40%	34%^[11]	42%^[11]	558	39+/-4%	-3%	--
	Government Negative	11%	15%^[11]	9%^[11]	558	8+/-2%	-1%	+6%

[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 8-12/11/10.
[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		10-15/11/09	7-12/5/10	8-12/11/10	12-16/5/11
Sample base		622	1,018	1,003	1,000
Overall response rate		70.8%	70.2%	67.1%	65.5%
Feeling towards different governments / peoples^[13]		Finding	Finding	Finding	Base^[14]	Finding and error^[12]	Latest change^[15]	Difference with gov'ts/ peoples
Japan	People Positive	49%	48%	35%^[16]	540	60+/-4%	+25%^[16]	+34%
	People Negative	7%	9%	15%^[16]	540	6+/-2%	-9%^[16]	-21%
	Government Positive	23%^[16]	20%	9%^[16]	540	26+/-4%	+17%^[16]	-34%
	Government Negative	23%^[16]	25%	52%^[16]	540	27+/-4%	-25%^[16]	+21%
Singapore	People Positive	54%	57%	56%	549	58+/-4%	+2%	+1%
	People Negative	2%	5%^[16]	3%^[16]	549	3+/-1%	--	-3%
	Government Positive	49%	57%^[16]	54%	549	57+/-4%	+3%	-1%
	Government Negative	9%	8%	6%	549	6+/-2%	--	+3%
Australia	People Positive	42%^[16]	46%	44%	535	46+/-4%	+2%	+7%
	People Negative	3%	5%	3%	535	2+/-1%	-1%	--
	Government Positive	40%^[16]	42%	39%	535	39+/-4%	--	-7%
	Government Negative	5%^[16]	4%	3%	535	2+/-1%	-1%	--
Canada	People Positive	47%	50%	48%	549	44+/-4%	-4%^[16]	+2%
	People Negative	2%	2%	1%	549	<1+/-1%	-1%	-1%
	Government Positive	45%	45%	42%	549	42+/-4%	--	-2%
	Government Negative	2%	2%	2%	549	1+/-1%	-1%	+1%
United Kingdom	People Positive	36%	38%	38%	529	40+/-4%	+2%	+5%
	People Negative	5%	6%	6%	529	4+/-2%	-2%	-6%
	Government Positive	33%	33%	36%	529	35+/-4%	-1%	-5%
	Government Negative	10%	12%	12%	529	10+/-3%	-2%	+6%
South Korea	People Positive	40%	38%	40%	542	35+/-4%	-5%^[16]	+10%
	People Negative	9%	7%	7%	542	5+/-2%	-2%	-5%
	Government Positive	30%^[16]	31%	30%	542	25+/-4%	-5%^[16]	-10%
	Government Negative	9%	11%	12%	542	10+/-3%	-2%	+5%
USA	People Positive	33%	33%	35%	508	35+/-4%	--	+19%
	People Negative	10%	12%	10%	508	7+/-2%	-3%^[16]	-28%
	Government Positive	26%	21%^[16]	18%	508	16+/-3%	-2%	-19%
	Government Negative	26%	32%^[16]	39%^[16]	508	35+/-4%	-4%	+28%
Germany	People Positive	29%	33%	33%	527	32+/-4%	-1%	+6%
	People Negative	3%	2%	2%	527	2+/-1%	--	-1%
	Government Positive	24%	26%	28%	527	26+/-4%	-2%	-6%
	Government Negative	4%	2%	3%	527	3+/-2%	--	+1%
Thailand	People Positive	31%	30%	35%^[16]	548	27+/-4%	-8%^[16]	+15%
	People Negative	10%^[16]	24%^[16]	17%^[16]	548	14+/-3%	-3%	-19%
	Government Positive	14%^[16]	8%^[16]	15%^[16]	548	12+/-3%	-3%	-15%
	Government Negative	30%^[16]	50%^[16]	41%^[16]	548	33+/-4%	-8%^[16]	+19%
France	People Positive	28%	26%	28%	541	25+/-4%	-3%	+12%
	People Negative	8%	8%	7%	541	6+/-2%	-1%	-6%
	Government Positive	15%	16%	16%	541	13+/-3%	-3%	-12%
	Government Negative	15%^[16]	15%	14%	541	12+/-3%	-2%	+6%
Italy	People Positive	25%	26%	28%	533	20+/-3%	-8%^[16]	+9%
	People Negative	5%	4%	3%	533	6+/-2%	+3%^[16]	-7%
	Government Positive	17%	17%	17%	533	11+/-3%	-6%^[16]	-9%
	Government Negative	7%	9%	9%	533	13+/-3%	+4%^[16]	+7%
Russia	People Positive	20%	18%	--	547	16+/-3%	--	+5%
	People Negative	6%	7%	--	547	5+/-2%	--	-13%
	Government Positive	15%	11%	--	547	11+/-3%	--	-5%
	Government Negative	21%	22%	--	547	18+/-3%	--	+13%

[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 8-12/11/10.
[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 May showed that, as regards the results of people's feeling towards different peoples, 39% 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 23%, 48% and 39%, while the corresponding negative figures were 28%, 5% and 2%. As for the peoples of other regions and countries, the positive figures for Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom were highest, with 60%, 58%, 46%, 44% and 40% respectively, while those for South Korea, the United States, Germany, Thailand, France and Italy were 35%, 35%, 32%, 27%, 25% and 20% correspondingly. Lastly, only 16% expressed positive feelings towards the people of Russia.

The latest survey also showed that, regarding the results of people's feeling towards different governments, 20% felt positive towards the HKSAR government while 27% felt negative. For the other cross-strait governments, the corresponding positive figures for the Mainland, Taiwan and Macau SAR governments were 22%, 21% and 39%, while the corresponding negative figures were 25%, 15% and 8%. As for other governments, the positive figures for Singapore and Canada were 57% and 42% correspondingly, while those for Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and South Korea were 39%, 35%, 26%, 26% and 25% correspondingly, those for the United States, France, Thailand, Russia and Italy were 16%, 13%, 12%, 11% and 11% correspondingly.

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 November 8 to 12, 2010 while this survey was conducted from May 12 to 16, 2011. 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.

13/5/11	The issue of inflation is getting severe in HK.
2/5/11	Obama announces Bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan.
29/4/11	Many newspapers on the next day report the Royal Wedding in the UK
15/4/11	China's inflation and economic growth exceed forecast.
23/3/11	HKSAR government bans a variety of food imports contaminated with radiation from five Japanese prefectures.
17/3/11	Affected by the nuclear crisis in Japan, many HK citizens irrationally buy salt.
11/3/11	The biggest earthquake in Japan's history causes horrific destruction.
12/2/11	The success of Jasmine Revolution in Egypt leads to many protests in Mid-east countries.
27/11/10	The municipal election is held in Taiwan.
24/11/10	US aircraft carrier will take part in a four-day military exercise with South Korea in the Yellow Sea.

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 Macau which has equal rates. Regarding the four cross-strait societies, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards Taiwan people is 27 percentage points higher than that of the Taiwan government, that towards fellow Hong Kong people is 19 percentage points higher than that towards the Hong Kong SAR Government, and that towards the Mainland Chinese people is 1 percentage point higher than that of the Mainland Chinese Government. However, their positive feeling towards Macau people and the Macau SAR government is the same. As for countries and regions outside the cross-strait regions, Hong Kong people's positive feeling towards the people of Japan is 34 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of the United States is 19 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of Thailand is 15 percentage points higher than their government, that towards the people of France is 12 percentage points higher than their government, while that towards the people of South Korea is 10 percentage points higher than their government. In terms of absolute percentages and ranked by net values, Hong Kong people seem to dislike the governments of Thailand, the United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Italy and Japan whereas they seem to like all peoples rather than dislike them, except with Mainland Chinese people. This finding is worth studying by various governments. Moreover, compared to half a year ago, Hong Kong people's negative feeling towards the Japanese government has plummeted by 25 percentage points, while positive feeling towards the Japanese people has surged by 25 percentage points, probably because of their sympathy towards Japan for having to face so many natural and man-made disasters. As for other reasons affecting the ups and downs of various 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)

June 14, 2011 (Tuesday) 1pm to 2pm: Popularity of CE and Principal Officials