News & Events

Path of Democracy today (March 12) announced the latest round of the "One Country, Two Systems" Index, which has recorded a score of 6.14, reflecting a slight decline of 0.5% from the previous round. This index is an objective evaluation of the status of "One Country, Two Systems," compiled from local public opinion surveys and international assessments, consisting of 6 pillars and 24 sub-pillars.

The survey shows that the scores for the three local opinion pillars have all declined: the score for "Human Rights and Freedoms" decreased the most, by 2.2% to 5.34; the score for "High Degree of Autonomy" dropped by 1.5% to 5.21; and the score for " Hong Kong-Mainland Relations" slightly decreased by 0.2% to 5.60. Of the twelve sub-pillars, only the score for "Safeguarding National Sovereignty, Security & Development Interests" increased by 3%, while the largest declines were seen in "Freedom of Speech, Association and Assembly" (-5.2%) and " Democratic Development " (-3.4%).

In terms of international assessments, compared to the previous round of the survey, the scores across different pillars showed mixed changes. Among them, "Economic Openness" saw a slight increase of 0.4% to 9.39 points; "Civil Liberty" experienced the largest decline, dropping by 0.6% to 6.22 points, while "Democratic Development" recorded a minor decrease of 0.2% to 5.05 points. The scores for the sub-pillars showed varied increases and decreases, with the largest increase in "Financial Stability" (+2.1%), while the score for "Security and Safety" saw the largest decline (-1.0%).

Ray Poon, co-convenor (Research) of Path of Democracy, stated: "As social movement cases reach the judgment stage, the public is reminded of past political disputes, which have hindered the recent upward trend in human rights and freedom ratings. However, the decline in national security risks has effectively helped citizens regain confidence in 'One Country, Two Systems.' Additionally, the international community has taken notice of the easing of Hong Kong's credit market, acknowledging the efforts to maintain the region's economic openness."

The survey also introduced new research questions, interviewing citizens regarding their satisfaction with the SAR government and the Legislative Council. The results indicate that the proportion of respondents satisfied with the government (42.3%) exceeds those who are dissatisfied (40.9%). In contrast, satisfaction levels regarding the Legislative Council show a clear disparity, with 48.1% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction and only 29.4% indicating satisfaction. Overall, the net satisfaction rating for the SAR government (1.4%) is higher than that of the Legislative Council, which stands at -18.7%. This highlights significant room for improvement in the Legislative Council's ability to enhance citizen satisfaction. Therefore, we believe that the Legislative Council needs to further strengthen its performance to better meet the expectations and needs of the public.

Path of Democracy convenor, Ronny Tong stated: "In the past, many legislators have failed to meet public expectations in their governance capabilities, which is evident to citizens. The current government has entered a phase of steady development, and legislators should focus on rational oversight while adopting a constructive attitude to provide suggestions that advance government policies. We hope that the upcoming Legislative Council elections at the end of the year will attract more capable and responsible individuals to participate, injecting new momentum into Hong Kong's future."

The report reveals that 43.7% of respondents hold an optimistic view of Hong Kong's future, while 40.2% express a pessimistic outlook. This divergence stems from discussions regarding fiscal deficits and economic uncertainty, exacerbated by global inflation pressures and geopolitical tensions, such as U.S.-China relations. Although the "Economic Openness" score has seen a slight increase (9.39), reflecting the success of promotional efforts, concerns about local fiscal stability and market performance persist. This contradictory sentiment has contributed to a decline in the index, as economic stability is crucial to the success of "One Country, Two Systems". The prevailing uncertainty undermines public confidence in long-term prospects.

Addressing the slight decline in citizens' confidence in human rights and judicial independence, Tong noted that the Court of Final Appeal's recent ruling in the case of members of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China underscored the significance of fair trials in national security cases, has the potential to positively influence both local and international perceptions of human rights and judicial independence in Hong Kong in the near future.

For the full report and survey results, please visit: http://pathofdemocracy.hk/zh-hant/1c2s-index/

Notes:

1. The local public opinion telephone survey (landline and mobile) was conducted by The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong from January 21 to February 25, 2025. The survey randomly sampled 1,005 Hong Kong residents aged 18 and above, with a landline response rate of 48.1% and a mobile response rate of 49.1%. The sampling error is ±3.08%.

2. The international assessment scores were collected from long-term tracking indices compiled by nine international think tanks, encompassing 127 indicators and evaluating and ranking 148 countries and regions.

3. Historical data has been uploaded to the online data platform; please refer to: http://pathofdemocracy.hk/1c2s-data-portal/.

Photo: Path of Democracy Unveils Latest 1C2S Index Results -- (from the left) Ronny Tong (Covenor of PoD) and Ray Poon (Co-convenor of PoD – Research)