Although she supports the ideals of some pro-democracy parties, former student leader Gloria Chang Wan-ki says she has no interest in joining them because they cannot perform properly under the SAR's political system.
The 23-year-old, who has just completed her master's degree in development studies at the London School of Economics, says she would rather work for a newly formed group to push for universal suffrage.
This week, the former president of the University of Hong Kong Student Union will return to the SAR to become secretary of the Democracy Development Network, formed by a group of veteran activists to push for political change by 2007.
Speaking from London, Ms Chang said joining a party was different to supporting one.
'To join a party, you have to buy its ideals and you really have to participate. It is useless to become a member but do nothing. I agree with the causes of both the Democrats and the Frontier, but I don't think I could achieve anything if I joined.
'I am not interested in becoming a member anyway. I think even if I joined I could not achieve the ultimate target - to force changes in the government - because parties work inside the establishment.'