Young Hongkongers sceptical about city’s integration with mainland China, study finds

About 52.6 per cent of respondents to survey said they did not agree with the idea of mainland-Hong Kong integration

The legal and political systems were the two greatest concerns held by young Hongkongers when considering a move to the mainland

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More than 1,000 young Hongkongers were polled. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:15pm, 6 Nov 2018Updated: 4:58am, 7 Nov 2018

Hong Kong youngsters are divided over the city’s integration with the mainland, but many share a low sense of national identity and have concerns about the legal and political systems across the border, a study has found.

Scholars behind the study said the Hong Kong government, which has been promoting the city’s development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area – the Chinese government’s scheme to link nine cities in Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau into an integrated economic hub – could not encourage local youth to seek opportunities across the border by promoting the mainland’s economic strength alone.

“Hardselling the idea of integration may cause a backfire,” said Ho Lok-sang, dean of the business faculty at Chu Hai College of Higher Education, on Tuesday.

“We hope mainland China can show more reforms and progress in its political system and social environment … and young people can have a more unbiased understanding [of the mainland] through more real life interactions with the people there.”

52.6 per cent of the respondents said they did not agree with the idea of mainland-Hong Kong integration. Photo: EPA-EFE

The college compiled its first index on Hong Kong youngsters’ acceptance of cross-border integration by polling 1,071 people aged between 15 and 24 in early August and by conducting focus group discussions with 29 youngsters in July.