Hong Kong Democratic Party Votes to Disband

Hong Kong's Democratic Party, the city's longest-standing opposition group, voted overwhelmingly to disband on Sunday, ending more than three decades of political activism in the semiautonomous Chinese territory.

At the party's annual meeting, 117 of 121 members present supported the motion for liquidation, with four casting blank ballots, according to party chair Lo Kin-hei. Speaking at a news conference afterward, Lo described the decision as a collective one driven by the current political environment and social climate. "Over these thirty years, we have taken part in and borne witness to the development and transformation of Hong Kong society, watching its systems and environment undergo one profound change after another," the party said in a statement. "Yet as the times have shifted, we now, with deep regret, must bring this chapter to a close." Lo added that the move represented the best path forward for members and expressed gratitude to citizens who had supported the party over the years.

The Democratic Party was founded in 1994, just before the handover of Hong Kong from British colonial rule to China, through the merger of several liberal organizations. It focused...