Hong Kong’s last opposition party votes to disband under China pressure

Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party has voted to dissolve, drawing a close to more than 30 years of political activism and underscoring the dramatic narrowing of the city’s political space.

The Democratic Party confirmed on Sunday that about 97% of members backed its liquidation. Party chair Lo Kin-hei said the changing political environment was a key factor in the decision and described the move as the best option for members, though one taken with “deep regret”.

Party veterans previously told the Associated Press that some members had been warned of consequences if the party did not shut down. The decision marks another milestone in the erosion of freedoms promised to Hong Kong when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

The party’s demise follows Beijing’s imposition of a national security law in 2020, introduced after mass protests the previous year. Since then, many prominent democracy activists have been arrested, including former party leaders Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai.

via Reuters