Why Hong Kong’s Democratic Party is not worried about its future despite unseating of sole opposition lawmaker

The surprise disqualification of Civic Passion member Cheng Chung-tai came after authorities called on the opposition to take part in December elections

The move is unlikely to spell trouble for the Democrats as Beijing might rely on them to add legitimacy to the political process, one insider says

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Cheng Chung-tai meets the media outside the Legislative Council chamber at Tamar after he was unseated on Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 7:00am, 28 Aug 2021Updated: 2:56pm, 28 Aug 2021

The Democratic Party remains tight-lipped over whether it will contest coming legislative elections in Hong Kong but has dismissed concerns that the recent disqualification of the sole remaining opposition lawmaker heralds a fresh crackdown.

Beijing might instead prefer the Democrats seek seats in the December polls as the party carried a symbolic value and would help ensure the political process remained legitimate, one insider said.

Other opposition bloc veterans expressed puzzlement over the decision by authorities to unseat lawmaker Cheng Chung-tai from the Legislative Council, given the recent push by authorities to encourage the camp’s parties to play a role.

But their pro-establishment rivals defended the government’s move, labelling Cheng an exception and argued officials remained committed to keeping Legco diverse.

Lo Kin-hei, chairman of the Democratic Party, at his office in Lei Tung. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu announced Cheng of the localist Civic Passion party was removed from his seat on Thursday with immediate effect. The decision was made by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, a new vetting group established as part of Beijing’s overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system, and which screens candidates for the Election Committee that chooses the chief executive. Cheng came under review because his role as lawmaker automatically granted him a seat on the powerful body.

“The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee will not allow anyone who pretends to uphold the Basic Law or pretends to bear allegiance to the city to enter the system,” Lee said.