Hong Kong's Democratic Party members (from left) Helena Wong, Wu Chi-wai, Andrew Wan, and Lam Cheuk-ting have been jailed or held in custody over a national security law China imposed in 2020. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
HONG KONG (AP): Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy party voted Sunday to dissolve after more than 30 years of activism, marking the end of an era of the Chinese semiautonomous city's once-diverse political landscape.
Democratic Party chairperson Lo Kin-hei said about 97% of members' ballots were in support of its liquidation and it is the best way forward for its members.
"Yet as the times have shifted, we now, with deep regret, must bring this chapter to a close,” he said.
Lo earlier said the decision to move toward disbandment was made based on the current political situation and social climate. But party veterans told The Associated Press that some members were warned of consequences if the party didn’t shut down.
Its demise reflects the dwindling freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China’s rule in 1997.
China imposed a national security law in June 2020, following massive anti-government protests the year before, saying it was necessary for the city's stability. Under the law, many leading activists, including the Democratic Party's former chairs Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai and other former lawmakers, were arrested.
Jimmy Lai, founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was also charged under the law. Lai will hear his verdict on Monday. Apple Daily was one of the vocal independent outlets shut down over the past five years.
Dozens of civil society groups have also closed, including the second-largest pro-democracy party, Civic Partyand a group that organized annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
In June, the League of Social Democrats, which had remained active in holding tiny street protests in recent years, announced its closure, citing immense political pressure.
The Democratic Party, founded in 1994, was a moderate opposition party that pushed for universal suffrage in electing the city's leader for decades. Prominent party members include Martin Lee, nicknamed the city’s "father of democracy,” Ho, former leader of the group that organized Tiananmen vigils, and journalist-turned-activist Emily Lau.
It once held multiple legislative seats and amassed dozens of directly elected district councillors who helped residents with issues in their households and municipal matters. Some of its former members joined the government as senior officials.
Its willingness to negotiate with Beijing led to its proposal being included in a 2010 political reform package - a move that drew harsh criticism from some members and other democracy advocates who wanted more sweeping changes.
As new pro-democracy groups grew, the party’s influence declined. But when the 2019 protests swept Hong Kong, the party’s activism won widespread support again.
During Beijing's crackdown, the Democratic Party has turned into more like a pressure group. Electoral overhauls that were designed to ensure only "patriots” administer the city effectively shut out all pro-democracy politicians in the legislature and district councils.
The party pressed on by holding news conferences on livelihood issues. It even submitted opinions on a homegrown national security legislation before it was enacted in March 2024.
Earlier this year, the party decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures involved in dissolving itself, and its leadership secured members' mandate to move closer to this goal. - AP
