Hong Kong’s last major opposition party disbands amid Chinese pressure | Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s last major opposition party disbanded following a vote by its members; This was the culmination of China’s crackdown on the city’s remaining liberal voices due to years of security crackdowns.
The Democratic Party (DP) has been Hong Kong’s main opposition since its founding three years before the financial hub’s return to Chinese rule in 1997. The party would sweep citywide legislative elections and push China for democratic reforms and protection of freedoms.
But mass pro-democracy protests in 2019 against a perceived tightening of China’s grip on the city prompted Beijing to enact a sweeping national security law to suppress dissent.
On Sunday, DP members voted to dissolve the party and enter into liquidation, party chairman Lo Kin-hei told reporters after an extraordinary general assembly meeting.
“It has been our greatest honor to journey shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong for these three decades. Throughout these years, we have always considered the welfare of Hong Kong and its people as our primary goal,” Lo said.
Of the 121 votes cast, 117 voted in favor of dissolution, while 4 abstained.
Senior party members have previously told Reuters they were approached by Chinese officials or “middlemen” and told to disperse or face serious consequences, including possible arrest.
There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the Hong Kong Liaison Office, China’s main representative body in the special administrative region.
Former DP chair Emily Lau expressed her regret at the voting result.
“Why should an organization that has done so much for Hong Kong end this way? I find it very problematic,” he said.
China’s “one country, two systems” arrangement promises Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy. But in recent years authorities have used new security laws to arrest large numbers of dissidents, disperse civil society groups and close media outlets.
“We never had democracy. We never had the chance to choose our government… We hope so.” [the principle of one country, two systems] It won’t keep getting smaller and smaller. We hope no more people will be arrested,” Lau said.
The DP vote to dissolve came a week after a “patriots only” legislative council election in Hong Kong and a day before a verdict was due in the national security case of media mogul and China critic Jimmy Lai.
China’s move in 2021 to overhaul Hong Kong’s electoral system (allowing only those considered “patriots” to run for public office) has marginalized the DP, removing it from mainstream politics.
In June, another pro-democracy group, the Union of Social Democrats, announced it would disband due to “enormous political pressure.”
Senior DP members Wu Chi-wai, Albert Ho, Helena Wong and Lam Cheuk-ting were jailed or detained under a national security law that China implemented in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests the previous year.
Some governments, including the US and UK, have criticized the law, saying it is used to suppress dissent and individual freedom.
China has said no freedom is absolute and the national security law has restored stability to Hong Kong.
