New survey of Hong Kong protesters says 80 per cent support ‘one country, two systems’ and don’t want independence from China
- Centrist party Third Way speaks to protesters who have been involved in civil unrest since June
- Study also shows almost half of those questioned believe vandalism is acceptable
About eight in 10 anti-government protesters in Hong Kong support Beijing’s approach to the city, and only a minority support independence from China, according to a study by a centrist party, Third Side.
The study also showed 45 per cent of protesters believed vandalising shops they disliked was acceptable because, “they only caused damage, but did not loot the places or steal money”.
“Our study seems to suggest that the rise of Hong Kong independence is only an overblown topic, exaggerated by the pro-Beijing camp, which, unfortunately, could have affected the central government’s policy on Hong Kong,” said Tik Chi-yuen, the party’s chairman.
In telephone and face-to-face interviews, the party spoke to 120 protesters who had taken part in demonstrations since the unrest began in June, with 24 having been arrested.
While protesters are often labelled anti-China, the study found that 48 per cent “highly support” the “one country, two systems” governing principal, with another 30 per cent said they “fairly supported” the policy.
A small minority opposed the policy, under which Hong Kong is given a high degree of autonomy and political freedoms that are not enjoyed on the mainland.
