Hong Kong - Nearly half of Hong Kong people believe that media in the former British colony practice self-censorship to avoid upsetting China, according to a survey Wednesday.

The Hong Kong University study found that 47 per cent of people interviewed believed that self-censorship was rife in newspapers and magazines in the city of 7 million.

Two-thirds of the more than 1,000 interviewees said they believed the media in Hong Kong misused press freedom and only 30 per cent said they believed local media reporting was responsible.

Hong Kong, which reverted to Chinese rule under a "one country two systems" arrangement in 1997, has press freedoms enshrined in its mini-constitution.

However, newspapers, magazines and broadcasters have been accused of self-censorship, in particular by avoiding stories and issues that involve overt criticism of China's communist leaders.