Hong Kong’s largest pro-decrafts party goes on to dissolve as freedom

Hong Kong: Jab Yung Yoga More than 30 years ago, the city’s largest democracy party co-established, he knew a democratic construction Hong Kong A “Hard dream will be.” Nevertheless, it was not impossible. Today, his Democratic Party is moving towards disintegration, a symbolic marker of the decreasing Western -style citizen freedom and a high level of autonomy that in the ruling Communist Party Beijing On returning to China in 1997, he promised to retain in the former British colony for at least 50 years.
An pro -democracy opposes that Hong Kong was crushed by Hong Kong in 2019, which caused everyone to silence through banned elections, media censorship and a National Security Act imposed by a China, which put some party members in jail. Dozens of citizen social groups were closed.
former chairman Sarcasm In an interview with the Associated Press, the Chinese officials told them that the party needed to be dissolved. He urged his members to support the proposal to give a lead mandate to handle the process.
“I am not very happy about it,” said Youn. “But I can see if we refuse to disintegrate the call, we can pay a huge price for it.”
Others also received similar messages. Party veteran Fred Lee said that the Chinese officials vested that the party does not survive through this year’s legislative election, when they asked about the possibility of their members running. Another founding member, Sin Chung-Kai, said some Hong Kong-based members were warned at the beginning of the results in early February if the party was present.
Promise of early years
The Democratic Party was formed in 1994 through the merger of two pro -democracy groups. According to its manifesto, it supports Hong Kong’s return to China.
In its early years, it won the most seats in the Legislative Council. Before Beijing changed the electoral rules in 2021, to ensure that only “patriots” could run, the party legislature had a major democracy voice, even now there were no longer seats. Subsequently, Yeoun said, the pro -democracy camp generally won about 60% of the popular vote.
Yong was encouraged to see that in democracy, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a merit-based administration could work in the city.
He said, “The entire social system is displayed to be quite, quite, quite promising,” he said.
Negotiation with Beijing Drew Backlash
In 2010, the party caught fire, as it supported the government’s political reform package in a conversation with the Chinese officials, which allowed millions of voters to directly election of five MPs of their district councils. Some members who expected extensive democratic reform and left the party in protest and the party lost two seats in the 2012 legislative election. It also attracted backlash from advocates within the pro -democracy camp.
Looking back, former chairperson Emily Lau, who was involved in conversation with Beijing, said many people supported the result as it was one step ahead. He said that he asked Beijing to continue interacting with others to find a way for universal franchise, but never did it.
“Perhaps the only thing I would have done in a slightly different way is not to go to the contact office (Beijing’s) contact office (in Hong Kong). I think we underestimate how many Hong Kong people hate him,” he said.
As the new democracy groups were growing, the party’s impact decreased. Following the 2014 mass protests for universal franchise, it became more obvious after the emergence of young politicians, including supporters Hong Kong independence activists. Nevertheless, five years later, when the 2019 protests were swept away in Hong Kong, the party’s activism once again won widespread support.
After the crack
China’s rift, including the 2020 comprehensive security law, changed the political scenario. Some former MPs, including former party president Albert Ho and Wu Chi-Y, are now in jail in major national security matters.
The Democratic Party has been absent in elections for elections. Some observers believe that Beijing may no longer be able to cultivate relations with the party, especially when it does not run after the election overhaul in the 2021 legislative election.
An pro -democracy groups have disintegrated, including the civic party, the second largest pro -democracy political party, and a decades -old groups, who organized an annual vigilance in 1989 to remember the Tianmen Crackdown of Beijing. Some activists stopped self-immolation or their work.
The Democratic Party pressured by organizing a news conference on livelihood issues. It also presented an opinion on the new National Security Act before it came into force in March 2024.
Ramon UNThose who served as a policy spokesperson before and after the security law came into effect, admitted that the party has become like a pressure group.
“Unfortunately, this pressure group is also under pressure,” said the UN.
Disintegration
In February, the Central Committee of the party decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures to dissolve itself. The current president Lo Qin-Hei said that it was based on the current political situation and social climate. He rejected an interview request.
On Sunday, a meeting will decide whether to make the leadership mandatory to move forward. One final vote for dissolution is expected at a later date.
The 38 -year -old UN joined the party in 2009. If this stops, the city will lose the voice advocating issues ranging from livelihood concerns to democracy, human rights and law rule.
“It is not easy for the Central Committee to take this decision,” he said. “I accept it. I can only say, every era will end.”
For the party’s experienced yong, the disintegration would be a “huge blow” for the city, saying that the disappearance of the party would make it difficult for people outside to believe the “One Country, Two Systems” theory.
But they believe that it will not end to fight for democracy Hong KongersEspecially for the youth who tasted an independent society. People are calm because they worry about the potential punishment if they openly criticize the government, said Yung, who was sentenced to 14 months in prison for their role in the 2019 protests.
“So perhaps there is no more democratic formation of the party. But I think the hearts of the people for democracy, they will not go out. They still keep it, perhaps in different form.”