Hong Kong Economic Journal

The concept of "one country, two systems" requires "seeking common ground while reserving great differences." It is natural for a pluralistic society to have different opinions. Faced with the long-term accumulation of antagonism among citizens and public opinion, "great reconciliation" to resolve conflicts is believed to be the wish of most citizens. The new government focuses on improving people's livelihood and dealing with long-standing and difficult issues such as land and housing. In particular, it needs to seek compromise and consensus. This article will use opinion polls and big data technology to analyze whether the polarized atmosphere in society has eased after the first anniversary of Carrie Lam's administration from the perspective of the chief executive's popularity, public sentiment and changes in public opinion.

The issue of Hong Kong's youth has become a national issue, and national identity has become the focus of the news. The Hong Kong Citizen Identity Survey published by the University of Hong Kong Minyan at the end of last year showed that the rate of Hong Kong young people (18 to 29 years old) claiming to be Hong Kongers rose to 69.7%, a record high in the 20 years since the handover, while the rate of self-proclaimed "Chinese" There is only 0.3%, which is the lowest record since the return. This result was widely reported by the media, and the public generally believed that Hong Kong youth did not identify with Chinese identity.

To ensure that "one country, two systems" can be implemented stably and long-term, we must review Hong Kong's achievements and shortcomings since its return to the motherland. In order to provide the government and the public with a reliable reference, Democratic Thinking compiled the "One Country, Two Systems" index on the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. It commissioned the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University to conduct a telephone survey and referred to the freedom and democracy index compiled by international organizations to comprehensively analyze the opinions of Hong Kong citizens and international organizations. From two perspectives, we try to comprehensively evaluate the implementation of "one country, two systems" (see http://pathofdemocracy.hk/one-country-two-systems-index/ for a detailed report).