Polls & Research

Tsang’s Leadership is Stable in Hong Kong

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - People in Hong Kong continue to endorse the leadership of chief executive Donald Tsang, according to a poll by the Hong Kong University Public Opinion Programme. The support rate for Donald Tsang stands at 55.4 points, up two points since early June.

In June 2005, Tsang was elected unopposed by an 800-member committee to serve as Hong Kong’s chief executive for two years. Tsang had substituted Tung Chee-hwa on an interim basis. In March 2007, Tsang won a full four-year term as chief executive, defeating Alan Leong with 649 votes to 123.

China took control of Hong Kong from Britain in July 1997. As part of the "one country, two systems" arrangement proposed by Deng Xiaoping, China must allow Hong Kong to be sovereign in all matters—except national security and foreign affairs—until 2047. Hong Kong’s Basic Law sets no specific timetable for a democratically elected government. The representatives at the Legislative Council monitor the performance of the government, and play a role in enacting laws, as well as examining and approving budgets.

In December 2007, the Chinese government decided that the people of Hong Kong will not be able to directly elect the territory’s chief executive until 2017, and the entire Legislative Council until 2020. Democratic movements in Hong Kong—who had proposed to have direct elections by 2012—protested against Beijing’s ruling.

In September 2008, Hong Kong residents elected 30 members of the 60-seat Legislative Council. Final results gave the group of pro-democracy parties 23 out of the 60 available seats. The pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) won 10 seats, meaning it remains the largest party in the legislature. In all, pro-Beijing politicians, led by the DAB, control 35 seats in the legislature.

On Jun. 26, Tsang vowed to implement new policies to boost the territory’s technology industry, saying, "To drive the growth of the industry, we will explore new financial or tax incentives to encourage the private sector to step up research and development."

Polling Data

Please use a scale of 0-100 to rate your extent of support to the chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, with zero indicating absolutely not supportive, 100 indicating absolutely supportive and 50 indicating half-half. How would you rate the chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen?