HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party voted to dissolve on Sunday after more than three decades of radical activity, marking the end of an era in the once diverse political landscape of the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
Chairman of the Democratic Party Luo Jianxi said that the political environment is an “important point” for them to consider, and about 97% of the votes of members supported liquidation. He said it was the best way forward for his members.
“However, as times have changed, we must now close this chapter with deep regret,” he said.
Senior party figures earlier told The Associated Press that some members had been warned they would face consequences if the party was not shut down.
Its demise reflects the dwindling freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Arrests and closures amid Beijing crackdown
China implemented the national security law in June 2020 after massive anti-government protests the previous year, saying it was necessary for the stability of cities. Under this law, many leading activists were arrested, including former Democratic Party chairmen Albert Ho and Eric Wu, as well as other former legislators.
Jimmy Lai, founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily, was also charged under the law. Mr Lai will be sentenced on Monday. Apple Daily was one of the most shut down independent media outlets in the past five years.
Dozens of civil society groups have also closed, including the Civic Party, the second largest pro-democracy party, and a group that organizes annual vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
The Social Democratic Alliance, which had been active in organizing small street protests in recent years, announced its closure in June this year, citing intense political pressure.
A moderate opposition party full of political stars
The Democratic Party, founded in 1994 as a moderate opposition party, has pushed for universal suffrage to elect Hong Kong’s leaders for decades. Prominent Communist Party members include Martin Lee, nicknamed Hong Kong’s “father of democracy,” Stanley Ho, the former leader who organized the Tiananmen vigil, and journalist-turned-activist Emily Lau.
It once held several legislative seats and brought together dozens of directly elected district councilors to help residents solve problems in household and municipal affairs. Some of its former members joined the government as senior officials.
Its willingness to negotiate with Beijing led to its proposals 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 reforms.
As new democratic groups grew, the party’s influence declined. But when protests swept Hong Kong in 2019, the party’s radicalism once again won widespread support.
Over the course of Beijing’s crackdown, the Democratic Party has become more of a pressure group. Electoral reforms were designed to ensure that only “patriots” could run the city, effectively shutting out all pro-democracy politicians from the legislature and district councils.
The party exerts pressure by holding press conferences on people’s livelihood issues. It even submitted submissions on a piece of homegrown national security legislation ahead of its enactment in March 2024.
Earlier this year, the party decided to set up a working group to investigate the process of disbanding the party, and its leadership secured a mandate from party members to move closer to that goal.
freedom’s retreat
Former chairman Yeung Sen said at a news conference on Sunday that the party’s dissolution marked Hong Kong’s regression from a free and liberal society. He said that the road to implementing democracy after the handover in 1997 was not a complete failure, adding that Hong Kong was only halfway there.
Yang said that if one day Beijing can review the “one country, two systems” principle used by Beijing to govern Hong Kong and move back toward a more open direction, Hong Kong will have a better future.
“Right now, this is a low point, but all hope is not lost,” he said.
Regarding whether there will still be a pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, Luo said it depends on every Hong Kong person, stressing that Hong Kong’s mini-constitution promises universal suffrage.
“If Hong Kong people believe that democracy is the way out, I believe they will continue to fight for democracy.”
