Hong Kong’s last opposition party votes to disband under China pressure
The Democratic Party has been Hong Kong’s flagship opposition since it was founded three years before the financial hub’s return to Chinese rule from Britain in 1997. He would sweep citywide legislative elections and push China to promote democratic reforms and freedom.
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, members of the Democratic Party voted to dissolve the party and enter into liquidation, 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 in 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 for dissolution, while 4 abstained.
Senior party members have previously told Reuters they were contacted by Chinese officials or intermediaries 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 Hong Kong.
Former Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau expressed her regret at the vote result.
“Why should an organization that has done so much for Hong Kong end like this? I find this 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’ve never had democracy. We’ve never had the chance to choose our government… We hope (the one country, two systems principle) doesn’t become smaller and smaller. We hope more and more people don’t get arrested,” Lau said.
The dissolution vote came a week after Hong Kong held a “patriots only” legislative council election and a day before media mogul and China critic Jimmy Lai ruled in a landmark national security case.
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 Democratic Party, 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 Democratic Party 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 United States and Britain, 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.
