HK govt urged to boost education for stronger national identity

A think tank in Hong Kong urged the government to make a long-term plan to beef up national education among youngsters, in a bid to foster stronger national identity, as a survey by the group found 64 percent of respondents recognized themselves as Chinese.

The survey, conducted from Sept 7 to 24 by the Hong Kong Research Association, also found that young people aged 18 to 29 are the group with the weakest national identity, with about 46 percent of them showing disapproval of their Chinese identity. Over 1,000 people responded to the survey.

Given the low sense of national identity among young people, the association urged the SAR government to promote education on national development, Constitution, Basic Law and National Security Law.

Stressing that the government should formulate a middle- and long-term plan for national education, the association also suggests that the government regularly review and evaluate the promotional strategy and effectiveness of national education to optimize relevant policies and arrangements.

The survey showed that 66 percent of respondents agreed that "it is necessary for Hong Kong residents to learn about Chinese history", while only 63 percent of respondents agreed that "Hong Kong is an inseparable part of China".

Also, 42 percent of respondents said they trust the SAR government, and 53 percent of respondents trust the central government.