P.M. BRIEFING : One-Third Plan Hong Kong Exodus

One-third of Hong Kong citizens are considering leaving the British colony before China resumes sovereignty in 1997, reflecting a loss of confidence in Beijing’s promises for a capitalist future, a public opinion poll showed today.

Nearly half of those who told pollsters they intend to stay said they had considered emigrating but decided against it for financial reasons, the survey commissioned by the South China Morning Post newspaper said.

“These are very serious figures,” said David Bottomley, poll director at Inrasia Pacific, which conducted the survey. “They point to a net loss for Hong Kong of at least 600,000 to 700,000 people. And that estimate is significantly higher than the 500,000 estimate obtained in an Inrasia poll last June.”