補習-Young love runs cold on mainland matches

hktutorcity.com-上門補習

Two in every five young residents say they have a poor impression of mainlanders and will not go out on a date them.
In the first survey on cross-border impressions, the Hong Kong Institute of Education's Roundtable and Powersoft Consultancy interviewed 724 people aged 16 to 35 in April and May.

Of the 40 percent who said they will not date mainlanders, a third said they have a poor impression of them, while a quarter cite differences in lifestyle, and 22.9 percent personality.

Other reasons include the language barrier and education differences.

Professor Joshua Mok Ka-ho said while respondents were not asked as to why they have a poor impression of mainlanders, it is generally accepted this is due to negative news reports about human rights and food safety.

ADVERTISEMENT


"We didn't ask for specifics ... I believe some respondents felt mainlanders do not behave in a civilized manner. For instance, they do not queue."

Mok said although the relationship between the SAR and those over the border is getting closer, Hongkongers and mainlanders still have different lifestyles and habits - such as spitting, which is not common here - and queue-jumping.

He said about half the respondents believe that there will be disputes if they enter into a relationship with a mainlander.

"There are other problems they may encounter. For instance, if a couple gets married, they need to decide who should move out from their hometown," he said.

Liu Sze-ming, a 22-year-old general studies student at HKIED, said he has friends who are dating mainlanders.

"I do not see any problem with their mainland partners," Liu said.

"To me, if I want to date a girl, I would not care where she comes from."

But he admitted there are lifestyle differences.

"There are mainland students at my school. They wake up very early and maintain a different quality of life."

The survey also revealed 44 percent believe there is insufficient support for cross-border marriages.

Mok called on the government to allocate more resources to help new migrants adapt to life here.