Hong Kong’s Last Major Opposition Party Begins Disbandment Amid China Crackdown

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, the city’s last major pro-democracy opposition group, has taken a crucial step toward disbandment amid mounting pressure from Beijing’s national security clampdown. At a special meeting on Sunday, around 90% of the party’s 110 members voted in favor of forming a three-member committee to begin formal disbandment procedures.

According to party chairman Lo Kin-hei, the committee will handle the necessary legal and financial matters ahead of a final dissolution vote, which will require at least 75% approval. While no firm timeline was given, Lo indicated the party could continue operations into next year until the process is finalized.

Founded in 1994, three years before Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the Democratic Party had long served as the leading voice for democratic reform and civil liberties in the Asian financial hub. However, multiple senior members told Reuters that Chinese officials and intermediaries have recently pressured the group to disband or risk arrest.

Lo expressed hope that other political groups in Hong Kong would continue advocating for public interests. “We have always hoped to serve the Hong Kong people and do things that are good for society,” he said.

The decision marks a symbolic end to Hong Kong’s once-vibrant pro-democracy movement, which has been steadily dismantled under the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Many activists have been jailed or fled abroad, and opposition parties have been effectively sidelined.

This latest development underscores China’s tightening control over Hong Kong’s political landscape and signals a further erosion of the freedoms promised under the "one country, two systems" framework.