Club Lunch Panel – After the Earthquake: The District Council Elections Amid Hong Kong’s Shifting Political Landscape

The district council elections held November 24 have been described in some press reports as a political tsunami, delivering a landslide for pro-democracy candidates who won 393 – or almost nine of 10 – of the 452 seats. The pro-establishment camp ended up with just 60 seats, compared with 292 previously. Though the election was a highly local one, the poll was widely viewed as a de facto referendum on the protests that have gripped the city since June. What will happen now? And will these results likely be replicated in the upcoming Legislative Council elections? The panel will explore the next chapter in Hong Kong’s political history.

LO KIN-HEI: Lo Kin-hei was elected Vice-Chairperson of the Democratic Party in 2012, becoming the youngest vice-chairperson in the party’s history. He is Chairperson for the Southern District Council, re-elected in November. His main responsibilities as the vice-chairperson include devising campaign strategies, maintaining media relationships and public image, developing social media channels, and engaging with youth.

DEREK YUEN: Derek M C Yuen is a Hong Kong-born-and-based strategist, scholar, and columnist. He has a PhD in Strategic Studies from the University of Reading and is the author of Deciphering Sun Tzu: How to Read ‘The Art of War’. He is a former Associate Member of the Central Policy Unit of the Government of Hong Kong and the former Policy Director of the New People’s Party. He currently teaches at the University of Hong Kong and regularly contributes political commentaries for Ming Pao and am730.

CHRISTINE FONG: Christine Fong is a District Council member in the Sai Kung District, where she has served since 2008. She was re-elected in November. She founded Professional Power, which currently has three members in the Sai Kung District Council, the largest group outside the pro-democracy camp. She has campaigned on environmental issues. A former television actress, she had studied business administration and is a chartered engineer.