Hiring expectations in Hong Kong and China continued to rise in the second quarter because of optimism over the two economies, according to a survey by recruitment agency Hudson Highland Group Inc. this week.

Of the survey’s respondents in China, 77% said they plan to increase their staff in the three months ending June 30, up from 72% in the previous quarter.

In Hong Kong, 69% of respondents said they plan to increase hiring in the second quarter, up slightly from 66% in the previous quarter.

The readings for both China and Hong Kong were the highest since the report was launched in the fourth quarter of 1998, Hudson said.

In Singapore, 61% of respondents said they plan to hire more staff, down from 62% in the first quarter.

Hudson said it surveyed more than 1,650 executives from multinational organizations in all major industrial sectors in Singapore, China and Hong Kong in March.