Fewer have self-image as Chinese, HK survey finds

More Hong Kong residents see themselves as Hongkongers, with fewer saying they are Chinese, a survey has found.

The study, by the University of Hong Kong, National Chengchi University in Taiwan and the University of the Ryukyus in Japan, compared the cultural and national identities of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Okinawa residents.

More than 1,000 respondents aged 18 and over from each place were interviewed this month.

In the Hong Kong poll, 21.2 per cent of respondents said they saw themselves only as Hongkongers, up 7.9 per cent from a similar survey last year.

The proportion considering themselves both Hongkongers and Chinese rose 3.3 points to 56.3 per cent.

A total of 21.7 per cent claimed to be Chinese only, down 11.3 points from last year.

Combining the latter two options showed the total proportion of respondents seeing themselves as Chinese dropped from 86 per cent last year to 78 per cent this year.

Macau had the highest proportion of people identifying as Chinese, 31 per cent, with 55.8 per cent saying they saw themselves as being Chinese and coming from Macau.

Taiwan had the lowest Chinese identification, with only 3.1 per cent, and 40 per cent reporting their identities as Chinese and Taiwanese.

On the factors affecting identity, 84.1 per cent of Hong Kong respondents agreed that China's rising international status would raise Hongkongers self-recognition as Chinese, with 82.7 per cent saying closer economic ties was a contributor. A total of 81 per cent cited democratisation in China as a factor.

By comparison, a survey by Chinese University's Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies in April found 52.4 per cent of about 800 respondents considered themselves Hongkongers, while 36.5 per cent recognised themselves as Chinese. Only 9.6 per cent considered themselves both.

Institute researcher Timothy Wong Ka-ying, who has conducted the survey since 1997, said the proportion of respondents recognising themselves as Hongkongers and Chinese remained stable in the survey carried out by the institute last month compared to the April study.

Professor Wong said 51 per cent saw themselves as Hongkongers in the institute's latest poll, which has yet to be published.

He said findings on people's perception of their identity always remained stable, as the issue involved emotional attachment, and opinions took time to change. Serious fluctuations in the findings were therefore not expected, he said.

A survey by the University of Hong Kong's public opinion programme in June found 23.4 per cent of respondents considered themselves Hongkongers, compared with 26.4 per cent who claimed a Chinese identity. A further 31.8 per cent saw themselves as Chinese Hongkongers, while 16.7 per cent said they were Hong Kong Chinese.