(b) Survey by the Hong Kong Association for Continuing Education():
8,000 questionnaires were distributed, and 5,068 were completed and returned, 96 per cent of which were by respondents aged 15–45. Of the respondents, 14 per cent accepted the draft agreement uncondition- ally; 39 per cent accepted it with some reservations and 44 per cent accepted for want of a better alternative.
(c) Survey by the New Hong Kong Researchers Ltd(1): This was a street poll in which 4,616 respondents aged 20 or over were interviewed at various vantage points on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. 27 per cent of the respondents did not understand the draft agreement, but 92 per cent of those who did understand accepted it.
(d) Survey by Radio Television Hong Kong: This was a telephone survey seeking the views of elected District Board members on the draft agreement. 116 out of a total of 132 elected District Board members responded. 97 per cent of them found the draft agreement acceptable. (e) Surveys involving young people: Six surveys, covering a total of 4,200 respondents aged below 25, were conducted by student unions and organizations. All the topics in the draft agreement were found acceptable and the majority of respondents had confidence in Hong Kong's future but expressed a wish for direct elections and participation in drafting the Basic Law.
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3.17 Notwithstanding the extent of the response in support of acceptance, it is necessary to pose the question of whether there is a "silent majority' whose views have not been heard. The Office is convinced by the evidence available that the views of the so-called "silent majority" have been reflected in the response received, and that those who have suggested this is not so are unaware of the range and depth of the response from the media, from organizations and groups and from individuals and also clearly in the independent opinion surveys described above.
3.18 The readings obtained by the Office from the views expressed in each of the main categories are consistent one with another. The overall picture which emerges can reasonably be said to be one which gives a true indication of Hong Kong opinion and supports the statement made in para- graph 3.1 above. The range of views is described in Part II of this Chapter.
Part II: The Range of Views
3.19 In the following paragraphs the range of views on overall accept- ability are summarized. Whilst acknowledging the overwhelming extent of overall acceptance, the Office, in examining the views expressed, has not underrated the degree to which those who have accepted the draft agreement have placed on record their concerns. In Chapter 4 details of the many comments made on specific aspects of the draft agreement requiring resolution are described.
(9) Hong Kong Association for Continuing Education is a group interested in educational issues with about 200 individual members and about 30 organization members.
(10) New Hong Kong Researchers Ltd is a newly formed organization with about 200 members, some being professionals, industrialists and businessmen.
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