Support for limited electoral reform in Hong Kong, poll shows
Younger generations would rather not pass up chance for reform despite rules imposed by Beijing, pro-establishment youth group finds in its poll
Support among younger Hongkongers for limited democracy in the 2017 chief executive poll is higher than backing for pan-democratic lawmakers to veto any such proposal based on Beijing's stringent rules, an elite pro-government youth group has found in a survey.
Nearly half of 1,075 interviewees aged 18 to 45 said the Legislative Council should approve the government's reform proposal, to be unveiled this month, even if it toed Beijing's line to require candidate screening.
Four in 10 respondents preferred vetoing the proposal, however, which would mean keeping the status quo - of relying on an exclusive, 1,200-strong committee to elect the city's leader.
A similar proportion was worried that voting it down would affect Hong Kong society negatively, and that universal suffrage in the chief executive poll might not then be realised for a further 10 years.
The findings came from a survey commissioned by the United Youth Association, which is led by heirs of the city's prominent businessmen and politicians.
Kenneth Fok Kai-kong - grandson of late billionaire Henry Fok Ying-tung and chairman of the association - noted that the public remained divided on electoral reform.
But he urged all 27 pan-democratic lawmakers to be pragmatic instead of executing their threat to reject the proposal in summer.