CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 851
OF 2007OOZ MARCH 92
CONFIDENTIAL
низон
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY
DIST?
18
pa. Polifical
567816
01567% MDLIAN 3585
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
PUBLIC OPINION POLLS
1.
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT THE MOST RECENT OF THE REGULAR PUBLIC OPINION POLLS CONDUCTED BY CNTA CIN JANUARY) SHOWS THAT WHEN ASKED WHAT ACTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT TAKE TO BOOST PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, ONLY 2 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION REFERRED TO QUICKENING THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION.
2.
THE QUESTION WAS AN OPEN-ENDED ONE TO WHICH THE RESPONDENTS CAN GIVE ANY ANSWER THEY LIKE. IN JANUARY, 55 PER CENT MADE SUGGESTIONS. THE MAIN ONES WERE:
-
DEVELOP THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND MAKE HONG KONG STABLE AND PROSPEROUS - 30 PER CENT
IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND LISTEN TO
PUBLIC VIEWS - 30 PER CENT
MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH CHINA 15 PER CENT
TAKE ACTIONS TO BOOST PUBLIC CONFIDENCE AND RETAIN TALENTED PEOPLE IN HONG KONG 9 PER CENT
-
(- QUICKEN THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION
3
2 PER CENT)
OVER THE PAST SIX SURVEYS, GOING BACK TO MARCH 1991, ONLY AN AVERAGE OF JUST OVER 3 PER CENT OF RESPONDENTS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT ONE WAY OF IMPROVING CONFIDENCE WOULD BE TO QUICKEN THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION. THE HIGHEST FIGURE RECORDED DURING THIS PERIOD WAS 6 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER 1991.
4. RESULTS OF THIS SORT ARE NO GUIDE TO WHAT ISSUES WOULD BE PRESSED VOCIFEROUSLY BY POLITICAL GROUPS: BUT THEY DO GIVE SOME
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