Former Hong Kong governor Christopher Pattern says the British government has a responsibility for Hong Kong's universal suffrage. Photo: HKEJ
Chinese internet portal ifeng.com launched a survey hoping to garner support for the central government. Netizens were asked, “How do you see the British investigation into Hong Kong’s political environment?”
But the outcome of the survey is something the Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings subsidiary never bargained for. It became a tool for Hong Kong people to seek support from Britain.
The survey launched on September 2 came after a British parliament investigation on the implementation of the Joint Declaration and a Financial Times article by former Hong Kong governor Christopher Pattern saying the British government has a responsibility for Hong Kong’s universal suffrage.
There were four choices in the survey: Britain intervened in Chinese internal affairs; Britain has a responsibility for Hong Kong as one of the signatories of the Joint Declaration; Britain might think the universal suffrage framework is getting out of the one country, two systems policy; and Britain wants to instigate conflict between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Some Hong Kong people circulated the survey on internet forums and Facebook over the next few days and turned the tables on ifeng.com, according to Apple Daily.
As a result, the survey shows more than 75 percent supports Britain’s role while 7 percent says Britain is intervening in Chinese affairs.
Earlier, Britain’s intervention received 70 percent of the ticks while about 10 percent was for Britain’s responsibility.
Another Chinese website, huanzhongnet.com, said some members of the Golden Forum, a popular forum among Hong Kong netizens, changed the results of the survey by hacking the website.
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http://www.ejinsight.com/20140910-netizens-turn-tables-on-ifeng-com-survey-on-britains-role/
