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The United Democrats supported [[Chris Patten]], the last Governor's [[1994 Hong Kong electoral reform|controversial reform proposal]] which largely broadened the franchise and heavily criticised by Beijing. The party remained open critic of the Beijing policies. After the reform proposal was passed, the Beijing government set up the 57-member [[Preliminary Working Committee]] (PWC) for the preparation works of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and planning for an alternative body, the [[Provisional Legislative Council]] (PLC) to the 1995 elected legislature under Patten's proposal. No members from the United Democrats was appointed as PWC member or [[Hong Kong Affairs Advisor]].<ref>{{cite book|page=68|title=The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity|first=Ming K.|last=Chan|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=1997}}</ref>
The United Democrats supported [[Chris Patten]], the last Governor's [[1994 Hong Kong electoral reform|controversial reform proposal]] which largely broadened the franchise and heavily criticised by Beijing. The party remained open critic of the Beijing policies. After the reform proposal was passed, the Beijing government set up the 57-member [[Preliminary Working Committee]] (PWC) for the preparation works of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and planning for an alternative body, the [[Provisional Legislative Council]] (PLC) to the 1995 elected legislature under Patten's proposal. No members from the United Democrats was appointed as PWC member or [[Hong Kong Affairs Advisor]].<ref>{{cite book|page=68|title=The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity|first=Ming K.|last=Chan|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=1997}}</ref>

In 1993, [[Lau Kong-wah]], a [[Sha Tin District Council|Sha Tin District Board]] member and [[Regional Council|Regional Councillor]] and Sha Tin District Board chairman [[Choy Kan-pui]] resigned from the party citing the party being too radical and confrontational. The two later formed the [[Civil Force]], a pro-Beijing community organisation.


In prepration for the [[Hong Kong local elections, 1994|District Board elections]] in September 1994, the [[Hong Kong municipal elections, 1995|Urban and Regional elections]] in March 1995 and the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 1995|first fully elected LegCo elections]] in September 1995, the United Democrats merged with another liberal party Meeting Point in April 1994 to form the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]].<ref>{{cite book|page=69|title=The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity|first=Ming K.|last=Chan|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=1997}}</ref>
In prepration for the [[Hong Kong local elections, 1994|District Board elections]] in September 1994, the [[Hong Kong municipal elections, 1995|Urban and Regional elections]] in March 1995 and the [[Hong Kong legislative election, 1995|first fully elected LegCo elections]] in September 1995, the United Democrats merged with another liberal party Meeting Point in April 1994 to form the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]].<ref>{{cite book|page=69|title=The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity|first=Ming K.|last=Chan|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year=1997}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:32, 4 March 2015

United Democrats of Hong Kong
香港民主同盟
ChairmanMartin Lee
Vice-ChairmanYeung Sum
Founded23 April 1990
Dissolved2 October 1994
Succeeded byDemocratic Party
IdeologyLiberalism
Social liberalism
Political positionCentre-left
Regional affiliationPro-democracy camp
ColoursGreen

The United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK; Chinese: 香港民主同盟, 港同盟) was a short-lived political party in Hong Kong founded in 1990 as the united front of the liberal democracy forces in preparation of the 1991 first ever direct election for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It self-proclaimed as the first political party in Hong Kong. The party won a landslide victory by sweeping 12 of the 18 directly elected seats in the 1991 LegCo elections which shook the political landscape of Hong Kong. In 1994 it was merged with another pro-democracy party Meeting Point to form the contemporary Democratic Party.

Platform

The main objectives of Democrats are to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, to better the welfare and quality of life of the people of Hong Kong; and to strengthen the position of Hong Kong as an industrial, commercial and international financial centre. In pursuit of these aims, the party strived

  1. to promote and facilitate the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration,
  2. to promote, establish and uphold a democratic, open and accountable government in Hong Kong;
  3. to safeguard the rule of law, human rights, civil liberties and social justice,
  4. to promote and facilitate the full implementation of the provision of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
  5. to cultivate civic consciousness and promote participation in public affairs;
  6. to enhance and improve productivity and facilitate economic development and progress,
  7. to improve people's livelihood, especially in the areas of education, medical services, housing and transport;
  8. to promote better social security and a comprehensive welfare system that is appropriate for the circumstances of Hong Kong;
  9. to support suitable members of the United Democrats of Hong Kong to stand for or otherwise participate in elections;
  10. to promote and facilitate the interflow in know-how, technology, telecommunication, education, culture and sports with other countries and regions.[1]

Structure

The United Democrats had a large labour component among its top leadership. 6 of its 30 Central Committee members, including Szeto Wah and Lau Chin-shek, were leaders of the major independent unions, namely the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (PTU) and the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee (CIC) respectively. They are veterans of labour protests and community movements. Some other core members of the party were experienced in collective mobilisation and electoral campaigns, such as Tuen Mun's Ng Ming-yam and Sha Tin's Lau Kong-wah and Wong Hong-chung and Eastern District's Man Sai-cheong who brought their local networks into the party.[2]

History

The United Democrats self-claimed the first political party in Hong Kong. It was established on 23 April 1990 after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the eve of first ever direct election for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1991 as a grand alliance by some 220 activists from the Meeting Point (MP), the Hong Kong Affairs Society (HKAS) and the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL), the three major pro-democracy groups at the times. The United Democrats were mostly service professionals from the ranks of social workers, teachers, university professors, independent union activists, church leaders, and lawyers.[3]

The United Democrats was headed by barrister Martin Lee Chu-ming, as well as Szeto Wah who remained the leader of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. As such, the party was labelled "anti-Beijing" as their support for the democratic movements in China.[3]

The United Democrats gained a landslide victory in the Urban Council and Regional Council elections in 1991, and subsequently in the Legislative Council election in 1991, winning 12 of the 18 directly elected seats and two functional constituency seats due to the widespread of anti-Beijing sentiments after the Tiananmen crackdown and also the electoral system. On 17 September 1991, Martin Lee led a delegation of 14 Legislative Councillors-elect from the United Democrats to meet the Governor David Wilson, demanded the Governor to respect the wishes of the people expressed in the election and filled the LegCo appointed seats with liberal-minded people.[4]

The United Democrats supported Chris Patten, the last Governor's controversial reform proposal which largely broadened the franchise and heavily criticised by Beijing. The party remained open critic of the Beijing policies. After the reform proposal was passed, the Beijing government set up the 57-member Preliminary Working Committee (PWC) for the preparation works of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and planning for an alternative body, the Provisional Legislative Council (PLC) to the 1995 elected legislature under Patten's proposal. No members from the United Democrats was appointed as PWC member or Hong Kong Affairs Advisor.[5]

In 1993, Lau Kong-wah, a Sha Tin District Board member and Regional Councillor and Sha Tin District Board chairman Choy Kan-pui resigned from the party citing the party being too radical and confrontational. The two later formed the Civil Force, a pro-Beijing community organisation.

In prepration for the District Board elections in September 1994, the Urban and Regional elections in March 1995 and the first fully elected LegCo elections in September 1995, the United Democrats merged with another liberal party Meeting Point in April 1994 to form the Democratic Party.[6]

Electoral performance

Legislative Council elections

Election Number of
popular votes 		% of
popular votes 		GC
seats 		FC
seats 		Total seats +/− Position
1991 618,209Steady 45.15Steady 12 2
14 / 60
 11Increase 1stIncrease

Note: Each voter got two votes in the 1991 Election.

Municipal elections

Election Number of
popular votes 		% of
popular votes 		UrbCo
seats 		RegCo
seats 		Total
elected seats
1991 133,753Steady 34.14Steady 4 6
10 / 27

District Council elections

Election Number of
popular votes 		% of
popular votes 		Total
elected seats
1991 109,747Steady 20.64Steady
52 / 272

References

  1. ^ Tsang, Steve Yui-Sang (1995). Government and Politics. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 228–229. ISBN 9622093922.
  2. ^ Chan, Ming K. (1997). The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity. Hong Kong University Press. p. 59.
  3. ^ a b Chan, Ming K. (1997). The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity. Hong Kong University Press. p. 58.
  4. ^ Cheng, Joseph Y.S.; Kwong, Paul C. K., eds. (1992). The Other Hong Kong Report 1992. Chinese University Press. p. 2.
  5. ^ Chan, Ming K. (1997). The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity. Hong Kong University Press. p. 68.
  6. ^ Chan, Ming K. (1997). The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China: Modern Diasporic Femininity. Hong Kong University Press. p. 69.
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