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Hong Kong's Last Major Opposition Party Faces Dissolution After Beijing Warnings

The Democratic Party, a pro-democracy symbol for nearly 30 years, prepares to disband following direct pressure from Chinese officials.

Chinese supporters wave Chinese national flags to celebrate the 75th anniversary of China's National Day in Hong Kong, China October 1, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, poses for a photo at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James)
Emily Lau, former chairperson of the Democratic Party, right, looks through old photos with a staffer at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James)
Emily Lau, former chairperson of the Democratic Party, walks through the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James)

Overview

  • Hong Kong's Democratic Party, the last major opposition group, is preparing to disband following warnings from Chinese officials of severe consequences if it continues to operate.
  • Party members have reported being approached by intermediaries linked to Beijing, who conveyed explicit demands for dissolution before the December 2025 elections.
  • The Democratic Party has scheduled an extraordinary general meeting on April 13 to discuss its future and potentially finalize plans to disband.
  • Founded in 1994, the Democratic Party has been a cornerstone of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, but Beijing's 2021 electoral reforms have sidelined it from political participation.
  • The dissolution would mark the end of nearly three decades of organized opposition politics in Hong Kong, further eroding the city's democratic institutions under China's national security crackdown.