GOVERNOR Chris Patten is the most popular political figure and the best person to represent Hongkong's interests, according to a survey of secondary students.
Chinese counterpart Lu Ping is regarded as the least popular, but only just worse than former Executive and Legislative Councillor Maria Tam Wai-chu.
A Hongkong affairs adviser, Ms Tam was accused of having a conflict of interests three years ago in holding shares in a taxi company while taking the chair of the Transport Advisory Committee.
A Mongkok social service centre last month polled more than 2,000 students in Form Three or above at the district's six secondary schools.
Aimed at arousing students' interest in social and political affairs in preparation for the future lowering of the voting age to 18, the poll found conflicting results, especially when it came to the case of liberal politicians.
Mr Patten was better liked than the other 11 candidates, including chairmen of the leading political parties, independent legislators and pro-China politicians such as Tam Yiu-chung and Tsang Yok-shing.