Article 45 Concern Group

Politics and government of Hong Kong

Laws Basic Law Drafting Committee Consultative Committee Article 23 National security law Article 45 Article 46 Article 69 One country, two systems Sino–British Joint Declaration Criminal law Capital punishment in Hong Kong Criminal procedure Jury system Law enforcement in Hong Kong Human rights LGBT rights in Hong Kong Internet censorship in Hong Kong

Executive Chief Executive: John Lee Office of the Chief Executive Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR Principal officials Chief Secretary: Eric Chan Financial Secretary: Paul Chan Secretary for Justice: Paul Lam Executive Council Convenor: Regina Ip Government Secretariat and Government agencies Civil Service Bureau Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Registration and Electoral Office Offices in the Mainland and Taiwan Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Tourism Commission Education Bureau University Grants Committee Secretariat Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency Environment and Ecology Bureau Environmental Protection Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hong Kong Observatory Government Laboratory Health Bureau Department of Health Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Department Information Services Department Labour and Welfare Bureau Social Welfare Department Security Bureau Hong Kong Police Force Hong Kong Fire Services Department Hong Kong Correctional Services Customs and Excise Department Immigration Department Government Flying Service Civil Aid Service Auxiliary Medical Service Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport Department Civil Aviation Department Highways Department Marine Department Housing Bureau Housing Department Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Intellectual Property Department Invest Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority Post Office Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (Overseas) Radio Television Hong Kong Development Bureau Architectural Services Department Buildings Department Civil Engineering and Development Department Drainage Services Department Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Lands Department Land Registry Planning Department Water Supplies Department Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Census and Statistics Department Companies Registry Government Logistics Department Government Property Agency Inland Revenue Department Official Receiver's Office Rating and Valuation Department Treasury Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau Efficiency Office Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Innovation and Technology Commission Hong Kong Civil Service Political Appointments System

Legislature Legislative Council President: Andrew Leung List of Members of the Legislative Council Political camps: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-democracy camp Localist camp

Judiciary Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice: Andrew Cheung High Court Chief Judge: Jeremy Poon Court of Appeal President of the Court of Appeal Court of First Instance District Court Chief District Judge: Justin Ko Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak Special courts and tribunals: Coroner’s Court Labour Tribunal Lands Tribunal Market Misconduct Tribunal Obscene Articles Tribunal Small Claims Tribunal

Districts District Officers District Councils Central and Western Eastern Islands Kowloon City Kwai Tsing Kwun Tong North Sai Kung Sha Tin Sham Shui Po Southern Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Wan Chai Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong Yuen Long Area committees

Elections Electoral Affairs Commission Registration and Electoral Office Chief Executive Elections Election Committee Legislative elections Geographical Constituencies Functional Constituencies Election Committee Constituency District council elections List of constituencies of Hong Kong Political parties Universal suffrage

Foreign relations Documents Hong Kong identity card HKSAR Passport BNO Passport Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations Hong Kong–United States relations Hong Kong–Philippines relations Hong Kong–Singapore relations Hong Kong–China relations Hong Kong Liaison Office Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement Hong Kong–Taiwan relations Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council

Related topics Culture Economy Education Geography History  Hong Kong portal

v t e

Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group was a pro-democracy political group in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (HKSAR) . It was established on 14 November 2003 by legal practitioners and academics. It had four seats in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong before it transformed into the Civic Party in 2006.^[1]

Beliefs

The group originated from the "Basic Law Article 23 Concern Group", which was formed to criticise the HKSAR Government's legislative proposals to implement the anti-subversion Article 23 of the Basic Law during the proposed legislations' consultation period in 2002-2003. Outspoken members of the group included the barristers Audrey Eu, Alan Leong and Ronny Tong, who were all former chairpersons of the Hong Kong Bar Association. Their professional and outspoken image established during the Article 23 controversy has led to them being especially popular with the middle class.

After the HKSAR Government shelved the Article 23 proposals, the group renamed itself the Article 45 Concern Group, with the addition of a few members. Its focus changed to push for universal suffrage in 2007/08. The ultimate aim of universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council is stipulated under Article 45 and Article 68 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong respectively.

The group considered universal suffrage by 2007/8 as vital to the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and aimed to promote debates on universal suffrage from a legal and constitutional point of view.

Elections

In close collaboration with the democratic camp, several members of the group ran for the 2004 Legislative Council elections and succeeded in gaining four seats in the Council (up from two before the elections). The group remained vocal in criticizing the Chinese and HKSAR Governments for their stance regarding a number of political issues, including the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China not to allow universal suffrage in 2007/08. In line with the pan-democratic camp, it supported gathering "the public's" view on the issue of universal suffrage by means of a referendum in 2004.

The group vetoed a critical bill concerning the democratisation of the Hong Kong system in December 2005, saying that the democratic reforms were not far-reaching enough, e.g. did not have a set timetable for universal suffrage, and definitely not by 2007/8 as this group was demanding. Ultimately, this led to the Chief Executive for the HKSAR, Donald Tsang, in suggesting that no further reform packages will be introduced for the rest of his current term in office, at least.

The Civic Party

The Group disbanded in March 2006 to form what is now the Civic Party. Apart from the Article 45 Concern Group members, Fernando Cheung and Mandy Tam joined as well. The Temporary Executive Committee of the Civic Party was established on 19 February 2006.

Founding members

• Audrey Eu, legislator, barrister and former Chairwoman of Hong Kong Bar Association (1997–1999)
• Ronny Tong, legislator, barrister and former Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association (1999–2001)
• Alan Leong, legislator, barrister and former Chairman of Hong Kong Bar Association (2001–2003)
• Margaret Ng, legislator representing the legal sector and barrister
• Christine Loh, former legislator, has a law degree, runs the private think tank Civic Exchange
• Gladys Li, barrister, chairlady of International Commission of Jurists (Hong Kong section)
• Johannes Chan, barrister, dean of the Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong, Hon SC
• Michael C. Davis, attorney of the United States and former professor of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (now Visiting Professor at the University of Hong Kong)
• Eric Cheung Tat-ming, solicitor; assistant professor at the Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong
• Denis Chang, barrister
• Mark Daly, solicitor

References

This page was last edited on 20 August 2023, at 23:23