[00:00.00]Almost 40 percent of young people in Hong Kong support independence [00:07.16] from China for the city after 2047. [00:12.48]The information came from a study by the Chinese University of Hong [00:17.57] Kong.Interviewers asked more than 1,000 people questions in July. [00:23.12]The study contained a number of interesting findings. [00:31.29]Young people supported independence more than older people. Nearly [00:36.58]40 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 24, who were asked, [00:43.39] said they want the city to break away from China. [00:48.36]Seventeen percent of all those questioned said they support independence [00:53.54] for Hong Kong after 2047. Nearly 30 percent expressed no preference for [01:01.68]independence or staying with China. [01:05.93]However, less than four percent said they believe independence is [01:10.63] possible for the former British colony. [01:15.57]Britain handed over Hong Kong to China in 1997. Under that agreement, [01:22.26] Hong Kong is to be governed by the People¡¯s Republic of China under [01:27.87] two economic systems:communism and capitalism. [01:33.06]This is known as the ¡°one country, two systems¡± policy. The one [01:41.35] country, two systems deal with China is set to end in 2047. [01:48.47]One university student agreed with the study results. He said about [01:55.77] half of his friends support independence for Hong Kong. [02:01.43]¡°I think a lot of young people are very disappointed in the Chinese [02:06.57] government or the [ruling] Chinese Communist Party,¡± he said. [02:11.94] ¡°Also, a number of events in recent years have changed people¡¯ [02:16.92]s views about Hong Kong¡¯s future.¡± [02:21.32]The student said the Chinese government has not permitted fully [02:28.67]democratic elections in Hong Kong. [02:29.92]The survey comes before elections for Hong Kong¡¯s legislature. [02:35.76]For the first time, all candidates have been asked to sign a document. [02:41.89] In it, the candidate promises to uphold the principle that Hong Kong [02:48.51]is ¡°an inalienable part of China.¡± [02:53.75]A number of pro-independence Chinese said they will be candidates in [02:59.50] the elections to be held on September 4. The Electoral Affairs [03:05.87] Commission said all candidates must sign the document or they [03:10.78]will be disqualified. [03:14.68]Hong Kong was promised a ¡°high degree of autonomy¡± under the [03:19.42]terms of its 1997 handover to China. Article 26 of the Basic Law [03:27.78] guarantees the city¡¯s residents the right to vote in and stand [03:32.91]for elections. [03:38.16]As a result, Hong Kong is considered a Special Administrative Region. [03:44.55]I¡¯m Mario Ritter.