logo
Hong Kong opposition party folds, citing ‘immense political pressure'

Hong Kong opposition party folds, citing ‘immense political pressure'

Read more about this: https://sc.mp/6m1vu
The Hong Kong opposition group League of Social Democrats announced on June 29, 2025, that it would disband, citing "immense political pressure" and member safety. The group, known for protests and civil disobedience, is the third major opposition party to dissolve since Hong Kong enacted the Beijing-imposed national security law in 2020. Chairwoman Chan Po-ying said the group had 'no other choice'.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Billions misused in China 2024 stimulus, from flood controls to gym equipment, audit finds
Billions misused in China 2024 stimulus, from flood controls to gym equipment, audit finds

South China Morning Post

timean hour ago

  • South China Morning Post

Billions misused in China 2024 stimulus, from flood controls to gym equipment, audit finds

China's top audit watchdog has revealed that tens of billions of yuan in funding were misused by localities amid a roll-out of stimulus measures and flagship projects that the nation adopted last year, as Beijing injected trillions to boost China's economy. The revelation – resulting from an assessment of the central government's budget execution last year, as well as of other fiscal revenues and expenditures in 2024 – was spelled out in a report submitted by National Audit Office auditor general Hou Kai to the top legislature last week. For the country's key stimulus package, featuring subsidies for large-scale equipment renewals and consumer goods trade-ins, nearly 20 billion yuan (US$2.8 billion) was fraudulently claimed or misappropriated, according to the disclosed data report. This includes nearly 3.8 billion yuan that was fraudulently claimed under the programme last year. For example, Xiamen University applied and got approval for 1.7 million yuan for new treadmills and barbells for its gymnasium in the name of 'advanced teaching and tech equipment'. Meanwhile, more than 15 billion yuan was misused during implementation, the report said, with four provinces using 7.06 billion yuan to cover basic public spending – from civil-service wages to essential social welfare – or other unrelated projects, and six provinces falsely recording 8.3 billion yuan as spent. Some enterprises were also involved in subsidy fraud, it added. The funding came from 1 trillion yuan worth of ultra-long-term special government bonds that Beijing issued in 2024, with 700 billion yuan allocated for equipment upgrades and 300 billion yuan for trade-in consumption.

Beijing's national security chief in Hong Kong warns of lingering ‘danger'
Beijing's national security chief in Hong Kong warns of lingering ‘danger'

South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

Beijing's national security chief in Hong Kong warns of lingering ‘danger'

Beijing's national security chief in Hong Kong has called for vigilance against 'danger and chaos' lurking even in times of peace and stability, while pledging to work with the local government to crack down on such threats. Advertisement The remarks by Dong Jingwei, the head of Beijing's Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong, were delivered after a flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning to mark the fifth anniversary of the implementation of the national security law. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, security minister Chris Tang Ping-keung and police chief Joe Chow Yat-ming were among 150 people who attended the event. Dong said that Hong Kong society had bid farewell to turmoil and had restored stability in the past five years, with the domestic security law enacted in March last year further strengthening the legal system for safeguarding national security. He added that the legislation also safeguarded the legitimate rights of investors both at home and abroad, and continuously reinforced Hong Kong's unique advantages. Advertisement 'Hong Kong's transition from chaos to stability, and from stability to prosperity, could not have been successful without the strong leadership of the central government, the diligence of the city's governing team and the concerted efforts of the Hong Kong people,' he said.

China's Communist Party: 100 million strong and growing
China's Communist Party: 100 million strong and growing

South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

China's Communist Party: 100 million strong and growing

China's Communist Party had more than 100 million members by the end of 2024, an increase of about 1 per cent from the previous year, according to official data released ahead of the party's 104th anniversary. Advertisement However, the rate of membership growth has continued to slow, with one insider attributing this to stricter screening by the Central Organisation Department (COD), the party's top personnel office. In keeping with tradition, the membership data for the previous year was released a day ahead of the July 1 celebrations marking the party's founding in 1921. According to the COD, the party had 100.27 million members by the end of 2024, a net increase of 1.09 million, or 1.1 per cent. That compares with 1.2 per cent growth in 2023 and 1.4 per cent in 2022, indicating continued slowing. China's ruling party continues to be the world's No 2 political party by membership strength, after India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party – which claimed to have crossed 140 million members last week. Advertisement As of September 2024, the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States had 45.1 million and 36 million registered voters respectively, ranking them as the world's fifth and sixth largest political parties by membership. Unlike registered voters in western political systems, who may only have a loose affiliation with their endorsed political party, including casting votes and making occasional donations, Communist Party members in China are subjected to much tighter regulations. This includes membership fees of up to 2 per cent of their monthly pay, which goes into the party funds, and regular attendance at party meetings and basic organisational 'cell' activities.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store