Hongkongers' mistrust of the central government is at its highest point since May 1997, a survey found.
The poll, conducted this month by the University of Hong Kong's public opinion programme, showed 37 per cent - up 3 percentage points from March - of 1,003 respondents distrusted Beijing, compared with 44 per cent in May 1997.
Dixon Sing Ming, a political scientist at the University of Science and Technology, said 'the rein on human rights has tightened since the ending of the Chinese Olympics' and 'the issue of [the treatment of dissident] Liu Xiaobo , echoed by other cases, has created intense disappointment and worry among Hong Kong people'.
Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu, director of the public opinion programme, said the high level of mistrust was 'probably due to the incidents of [disgraced Chongqing party boss] Bo Xilai, [blind activist] Chen Guangcheng and [the recent suspicious death of Tiananmen activist] Li Wangyang'.
'The case of Bo also shows that the China model is unhealthy, given the risk of corruption and political instability had Bo become a top leader,' Sing said.
Bo, a former political rising star, was ousted in March for 'suspected disciplinary violations', and his wife is the chief suspect in the murder case of British businessman Neil Heywood.