75% of the young people in Hong Kong: "I am a Hong Konger" - the highest after Hong Kong sovereignty reversion

Yesterday the NHK News On-line reported the following:

香港の若者 75％が「自分は香港人」 返還後で最高

2019年7月5日 22時40分

自分は中国人というよりも香港人だと考える香港の若者は75％に上り、1997年の中国への返還以来最も高くなったことが香港大学の調査でわかりました。容疑者の身柄を中国本土にも引き渡せるようにする条例の改正案をめぐって大規模な抗議活動が続いていることが、市民の帰属意識にも影響を及ぼしていることが浮き彫りになりました。

香港大学の研究所、「民意研究計画」は２度の大規模なデモが行われた直後の先月17日から20日にかけて、18歳以上の市民を対象に帰属意識に関する調査を行い、1015人から回答を得ました。

調査は自分は何人だと考えるかについて、「香港人」、「中国人」、「香港の中国人」、「中国の香港人」の４つを示して回答を求めました。

それによりますと「香港人」と回答した人は全体の52.9％を占め、特に18歳から29歳の若い層は去年12月の調査結果よりおよそ16ポイント急増して75％に上りました。

全体、若者のいずれも香港が中国に返還されて以来、最も高くなっています。一方、「中国人」と回答した人は10.9％と返還以来、最も低くなりました。

これについて「民意研究計画」は「条例改正に反対する抗議活動が香港市民の帰属意識や中国に対する感情に影響を与えている」と分析し、一連の抗議活動で若者を中心に香港と中国本土とを切り離して考える意識が高まっていることが浮き彫りになっています。

Translation

75% of Hong Kong young people thought that they were Hong Konger rather than Chinese, and the Hong Kong University survey found the percentage to be the highest since Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997. It had become clear that the large-scale protests seen over the revision of an ordinance that would allow suspects to be handed over to mainland China also affected the citizen's sense of belonging.

The Hong Kong University's research institute had a "Public Opinion Research Program" that conducted a survey from 17th to 20th on the sense of belonging among citizens aged 18 and over. It was immediately after the two large-scale demonstrations and got answers from 1015 people.

The survey asked respondents on who they thought they were and showed them four answers respectively “Hong Konger,” “Chinese,” “Chinese in Hong Kong,” and “Hong Konger of China” and asked them to reply.

According to it, those who answered "Hong Konger" accounted for 52.9% in total, especially among young people aged 18 to 29, the percentage jumped from the survey results of last December by 16 points to reach 75%.

Overall, the youngsters had been the highest since Hong Kong returned to China. On the other hand, 10.9% had answered "Chinese" and the figure was the lowest since the return.

Regarding this, the “Public Opinion Research Program” analyzed that “the protests against the revision of the regulations affect the sense of belonging of Hong Kong citizens and their feelings towards China”. A series of protests had highlighted the growing awareness, especially among the young people, over detaching Hong Kong from mainland China.

Comments

The suggestion that the proposed ordinance revision has affected the citizen's sense of belonging is something quite serious. I think Hong Kong political leaders should deal with it as soon as possible.