Hongkongers’ quality of life amid protests last year slipped to poorer level than that during Sars: Chinese University survey
- The ratings, released by the university’s Centre for Quality of Life, show the city’s economic index in 2019 was at its lowest since 2002
- The overall quality-of-life score in 2019 was also the lowest on record, along with scores for freedom of speech and government performance
Hong Kong people’s quality of life amid the anti-government protests last year slipped to a state even poorer than that during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak 17 years ago, according to an annual index compiled by Chinese University researchers.
The ratings, released by the university’s Centre for Quality of Life on Wednesday, showed the city’s economic index in 2019 was at its lowest since 2002 when the study was launched, with a score of 10.15, a drop from 11.9 in 2018 and 12.65 in 2017. It was set at 21.74 in 2002.
The centre functions under the university’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies.
The scores for freedom of speech and government performance also fell to their lowest on record last year, according to the study.
With 100 as the base score for 2002, the rating for speech freedom in 2019 was 79.79, down from 89.71 in 2018 and 91.76 in 2017. The rating for government performance was 79.31, compared with 119.58 in 2018 and 129.16 in 2017.
The annual study found the overall quality-of-life score in 2019 was 101.39, down from 104.76 in 2018 and also the lowest on record. In 2003, the score was 104.2.