XN000022-1996-08-05 — Page 3

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Survey findings on new arrivals from China released

A Home Affairs Department (HAD) survey has found that most of the new arrivals from China are aged between 11 and 40 and nearly all of them came to Hong Kong to reunite with their families, the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Shelley Lau. said today (Monday).

Releasing the findings of the survey conducted between February and April. Mrs Lau said first hand information on them was essential in helping the Government identify their special needs. which might vary from one district to another as the new arrival population was not evenly spread throughout the territory.

In order to establish the profiles of them, she said, HAD had arranged with Immigration Department for new arrivals aged 11 and above to complete a simple questionnaire when they applied for their Hong Kong identity cards at the Registration of Persons' Office in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Among the 5.733 newcomers who have completed the questionnaire. 78.7 per cent were aged between 11 and 40 while 73.9 per cent were female. As to their provincial origin, about 55 7 per cent came from Guangdong and 25.3 per cent from Fujian.

On linguistic skills, over 65.8 per cent of them can speak Cantonese, 65.9 per cent Putonghua and 22.9 per cent Fujianese. About 86.9 per cent of the Fujianese new arrivals comprehend Putonghua and 21.2 per cent are conversant in Cantonese.

Mrs Lau noted the relatively high education level of the respondents, with 70 per cent having completed secondary school education or above and 26.2 per cent having received primary schooling.

Almost all the respondents (99.5 per cent) said they came to Hong Kong for reunion purpose. either to join their spouse (57.1 per cent), parents (35.1 per cent) or children (21.3 per cent).

Regarding the districts they reside, the first five being Eastern (11.8 per cent). Kowloon City (11.3 per cent), Kwun Tong (10.2 per cent), Sham Shui Po (10 per cent) and Yau Tsim Mong (8.6 per cent).