Hong Kong’s biggest pro-democracy party gets mandate to move closer to disbandment

(13 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hong Kong - 13 April 2025
1. Wide of Democratic Party Chairman Lo Kin-hei entering news conference surrounded by journalist
2. Various of Lo at news conference
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Lo Kin-hei, Democratic Party Chairman:
"Today, our members passed this resolution of allowing the central committee to proceed with the dissolution follow up, with a vast majority vote. It means that a lot of, and most of our members, they are willing to allow the central committee to take steps to dissolve the party."
4. Wide of news conference
5. Various of Democratic Party Office
STORYLINE:
Hong Kong's biggest pro-democracy party on Sunday received its members' mandate to proceed with steps toward a potential disbandment, part of the erosion of political freedoms as China cracks down on dissent in the southern city.

Democratic Party Chairman Lo Kin-hei said over 90% of the members who took part in the vote supported the motion to let the central committee take up the procedure toward disbandment.

He said he hopes there will be a final vote in the coming months.

The party’s decision reflects the dwindling semi-autonomy and freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China’s rule in 1997.

The moderate political party has effectively become a pressure group, members say.

Lo earlier said the decision was made based on the current political situation and social climate.

Party veterans told The Associated Press that some members were warned of consequences if the party didn't shut down.

Massive anti-government protests in 2019 led China to impose a sweeping national security law that was used to prosecute many leading activists.

Some of the party's former lawmakers are now in prison, and the party has been absent from elections after authorities overhauled the electoral system to ensure only “patriots” can run.

The Democratic Party, founded in 1994, is one of the few remaining pro-democracy groups that still speak out from time to time following the closure of dozens of civil society groups under the shadow of the security law.

They include the city’s once second-largest pro-democracy party and a decades-old group that organized the annual vigil to commemorate Beijing’s Tiananmen crackdown in 1989.

The party had long positioned itself as a moderate pro-democracy force.

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.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...