TNAG-1321-FCO40-1727-Future-of-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-and-surveys-1984 — Page 30

Y

25

Students' views shows consistency in the question of sovereignty over

Hong Kong

ed show

The findings show, 2,267 students, representing 53 per cent

of the valid questionnaires, were in favour of the return of sovereignty

over Hong Kong to China and the principles based on were either

"nationalistio standpoint", "self-determination by the people of Hong

Kong" or "validity of the treaties", whereas 447 students, representing

19 per cent of the valid questionnaires took the opposite view, The

remaining respondents simply took the "realistio approach", not

insisting on which side should have sovereignty. So the ratio of

students for or against the return of sovereignty over Hong Kong to

China is about 31, a result very similar to the findings of a previous

survey, conducted in 1983.

It should be noted that views taken by the students on the

sovereignty issue had a close relation with the principles on which

considerations were based. During a discussion held by the Students*

Union in 1983, it was this difference in principles of consideration

that caused complexity and confusion in arguments over the sovereignty

problem among the students. The Students' Union, therefore, trisu

out

this survey to sound students more olearly on their considerations and

ad

decisions. The findings show, that 33.7 per cent of the students favoured

the "self-determination by the people of Hong Kong" principle and among

them, about 48 per cent agreed to hand over sovereignty to the Chinese

As for those whose principle of consideration was "validity

Government.

/P.26.....

Page 30Page 31