Policy Advocacy

In commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Path of Democracy proudly presents the inaugural 1C2S Index, a comprehensive assessment of the current state of "One Country, Two Systems" (1C2S). This Index is designed for anyone interested in understanding the progress of 1C2S.

The 1C2S Index is grounded in a public opinion survey conducted in Hong Kong, focusing on 1C2S, and is complemented by international benchmarks that compare Hong Kong's human rights, freedoms, and democratic measures with those of other countries and territories.

To further enrich our analysis, we have also launched the 1C2S Mass Media Index (MMI). Utilizing big data, the MMI tracks the sentiment of Hong Kong newspapers regarding 1C2S since 1998, recognizing the significant impact that media sentiment has on public opinion.

It is important to note that public opinion, international perceptions, and the MMI are shaped by subjective views and may not always reflect reality. Nevertheless, shifts in the perceptions of 1C2S among the people of Hong Kong, international think tanks, and the local press are essential indicators. We will delve into the factors driving these changes, as they play a crucial role in the ongoing implementation of 1C2S.

To support evidence-based governance, PoD has opened the 'One Country, Two Systems' Index database for academic research. For data purchase inquiries, please contact us (Phone: 852 - 2509 3131 / Email: info@pathofdemocracy.hk).

Summary (2024 H2)

Index score

The performance of 1C2S implementation stands at: 6.14(-0.5%)

Public Opinion

The public opinion scores indicate slight declines in all three primary pillars compared to the previous half-year. The score for 'high degree of autonomy' decreased by 1.5%, reaching 5.21 points. The score for 'Hong Kong-Mainland Relations' experienced a minor decline of 0.2%, settling at 5.60 points, while the score for 'human rights and freedom' fell by 2.2%, attaining 5.34 points.

International Perspective
Compared to the previous round, the scores for ‘economic openness’ slightly increased by 0.4% to 9.39 points, while 'civil liberty' saw a minor decline of 0.6% to 6.22 points. The score for 'democratic development' remained unchanged at 5.05 points. The scores for the sub-pillars varied, with some increasing and others decreasing. The sub-pillar with the largest increase was ‘financial stability’ (+2.1%), while the largest decrease occurred in the score for 'security and safety' (-1.0%). The three sub-pillars with the highest scores were ‘market access’ (9.75), ‘financial stability’ (9.72)  and ‘regulatory quality’ (9.12). The three sub-pillars with the lowest scores were ‘civic participation' (5.15), ‘political pluralism’ (3.24)  and ‘expression, association and assembly’ (2.99). 

1C2S Mass Media Index (MMI)

The number of official news reports increased in the latter half of 2024, emphasizing national development strategies released by the central government, including the resolution on further comprehensively deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization. This resolution underscored the significance of the 1C2S framework. Additionally, President Xi's reply to Hong Kong entrepreneurs with Ningbo roots became a focal point of discussion in the business community, further promoting Hong Kong's integration into the national development framework. Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Macau's return, President Xi reiterated in his speech that the practice of 1C2S has entered a new stage and the cause of 1C2S is to enhance development in both SARs, allowing the regions to contribute more significantly to China's progress. In this context, the MMI reached 164.0 points in the second half of 2024.

Methodological Notes

• 1C2S Index is the average of public opinion and international perception.
• The three pillars on public opinion, namely ‘high degree of autonomy’, ‘human rights and freedom’ and ‘Hong Kong-Mainland relationship’ are the evaluation by Hong Kong public on different dimensions of 1C2S.
• The three pillars on international perception, namely ‘economic openness’, ‘civil liberty’ and ‘democratic development’, are the evaluation by international think tanks on various aspects of freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.
• 1C2S MMI measures daily net sentiment of media reports from television and radio stations, daily newspapers and online-only media that were published since 1998.