Chan Po-ying

Born in British Hong Kong to a family migrated from China, Chan Po-ying came of age during the emerging social movements, such as Vietnam War protests, civil rights movement, and women's suffrage movement, and heavily influenced her views.{{Cite news |last=May |first=Tiffany |date=2024-11-27 |title=Meet One of Hong Kong's Last Remaining Pro-Democracy Activists |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/27/world/asia/hong-kong-democracy-activist.html |access-date=2025-07-06 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Chan joined the Trotskyist party Revolutionary Marxist League in around 1975 and met Leung Kwok-hung, then a member.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-29 |title=The toll of Beijing's security law on Hong Kong's activists |url=https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-47-activists-families-fe313c1a245f6b95b9fbb99a83b3ec36 |access-date=2025-07-06 |website=AP News |language=en}} Her father disowned her for participating in politics, forcing Chan to work in garment factory for four years in her 20s. In the early 1980s, she attempted to form a union of garment workers but failed. In 1984 she helped forming the {{Interlanguage link|Association for the Advancement of Feminism|zh|新婦女協進會}},{{Cite web |author=劉軒 |date=2017-09-22 |title=【佔旺案判刑 1 】陳寶瑩：盼每人多走幾步，延續抗爭力量 |url=https://www.inmediahk.net/%E7%A4%BE%E9%81%8B/%E3%80%90%E4%BD%94%E6%97%BA%E6%A1%88%E5%88%A4%E5%88%91-1-%E3%80%91%E9%99%B3%E5%AF%B6%E7%91%A9%EF%BC%9A%E7%9B%BC%E6%AF%8F%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%9A%E8%B5%B0%E5%B9%BE%E6%AD%A5%EF%BC%8C%E5%BB%B6%E7%BA%8C%E6%8A%97%E7%88%AD%E5%8A%9B%E9%87%8F |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110021523/https://www.inmediahk.net/%E7%A4%BE%E9%81%8B/%E3%80%90%E4%BD%94%E6%97%BA%E6%A1%88%E5%88%A4%E5%88%91-1-%E3%80%91%E9%99%B3%E5%AF%B6%E7%91%A9%EF%BC%9A%E7%9B%BC%E6%AF%8F%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%9A%E8%B5%B0%E5%B9%BE%E6%AD%A5%EF%BC%8C%E5%BB%B6%E7%BA%8C%E6%8A%97%E7%88%AD%E5%8A%9B%E9%87%8F |archive-date=2022-01-10 |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=Hong Kong Inmedia |language=zh-hk}} before studying social work in university at 30. Chan is also dedicated to advocate labour rights and rights of women and poor, and supported the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. She became a well-known figure in protests that support left-wing and grassroots groups.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-23 |title=【2021回顧．47人家屬】社運元老社民連陳寶瑩受訪落淚堅持發聲：我不只是長毛太太 |url=https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/features/hottopic/feature-47chanpy-12232021055802.html |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=RFA |language=zh-TW}}

League of Social Democrats (LSD) was formed in 2006, positioning itself at the radical left-wing of the pan-democracy camp striving for better livelihood of the grassroots. Chan was one of the founding members, joining Leung Kwok-hung, Wong Yuk-man, Andrew To, and others.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-29 |title=社民連解散｜寧化飛灰，不作浮塵 主席陳寶瑩淌淚 「被逼解散 有愧於心」 |url=https://thecollectivehk.com/%e7%a4%be%e6%b0%91%e9%80%a3%e8%a7%a3%e6%95%a3%ef%bd%9c%e3%80%8c%e5%af%a7%e5%8c%96%e7%99%bc%e7%81%b0%ef%bc%8c%e4%b8%8d%e4%bd%9c%e6%b5%ae%e5%a1%b5%e3%80%8d%e3%80%80%e4%b8%bb%e5%b8%ad%e9%99%b3%e5%af%b6/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=The Collective |language=zh-hk}} While not a formal grandee of the party, she was one of the key coordinators of street activism, such as protesting against constitutional reform in 2007, the Express Rail Link in 2008, and in 2010 supporting the self-branded "referendum" by-election.

She first ran for election in 2007 local elections representing LSD, but was defeated in Tsui Ping South constituency. After Leung Kwok-hung was re-elected in 2008 to the Legislative Council, Chan became the assistant of Leung, serving the role until Leung was disqualified as MP in 2017. She was also the secretary-general of LSD from 2016 to 2020, before she stood back as vice until 2021.

File:Hong Kong security law LSD protest 20240227 03.jpg

File:Figo Chan response to press 20210304.png

The national security law imposed by the Chinese government to Hong Kong was seen as a blow to the city's democracy movement, and even non-political organisations were forced to disband. On 28 February 2021 amidst a crackdown on the Hong Kong 47, Leung, a candidate in the legislative primaries, was charged and remanded for subversion. Raphael Wong, chairman of the LSD, was later jailed for unauthorised assemblies during 2019 protests, and Chan Po-ying was elected party chair on 25 July 2021 at a special general meeting.{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Candice |date=2021-07-26 |title=Chan Po-ying elected to head Hong Kong's pro-democracy League of Social Democrats |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2021/07/26/chan-po-ying-elected-to-head-hong-kongs-pro-democracy-league-of-social-democrats/ |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

Despite the continued suppression of pro-democracy camp, Chan remained committed to activism at street booths, rallying against several government's policies and budget or raising concerns on housing and elderly issues. As a result, she and other party activists were charged with illegal fundraising or posters, which they described as an oppression against freedom of speech.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-19 |title=涉擺街站展示捐款QR code 社民連主席陳寶瑩及2義工被控無牌籌款 |url=https://www.singtao.ca/6179646/2023-02-19/news-%E6%B6%89%E6%93%BA%E8%A1%97%E7%AB%99%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA%E6%8D%90%E6%AC%BEQR+code+%E7%A4%BE%E6%B0%91%E9%80%A3%E4%B8%BB%E5%B8%AD%E9%99%B3%E5%AF%B6%E7%91%A9%E5%8F%8A2%E7%BE%A9%E5%B7%A5%E8%A2%AB%E6%8E%A7%E7%84%A1%E7%89%8C%E7%B1%8C%E6%AC%BE/?variant=zh-hk |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=Sing Tao Canada |language=zh-TW}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-30 |title=社民連街站遭票控無牌籌款等 辯方指黑布不符「招貼」定義 質疑警方壓線檢控 - 法庭線 The Witness |url=https://thewitnesshk.com/%e7%a4%be%e6%b0%91%e9%80%a3%e8%a1%97%e7%ab%99%e9%81%ad%e7%a5%a8%e6%8e%a7%e7%84%a1%e7%89%8c%e7%b1%8c%e6%ac%be%e7%ad%89-%e8%be%af%e6%96%b9%e6%8c%87%e9%bb%91%e5%b8%83%e4%b8%8d%e7%ac%a6/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |language=en-US}} The bank accounts of the LSD and several party members, including Chan, were terminated in 2023. Chan accused the banks were politically motivated to make the decision.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=社民連滙豐抗議戶口遭取消 指不能收捐款如等死 |url=https://www.inmediahk.net/node/%E7%A4%BE%E9%81%8B/%E7%A4%BE%E6%B0%91%E9%80%A3%E6%BB%99%E8%B1%90%E6%8A%97%E8%AD%B0%E6%88%B6%E5%8F%A3%E9%81%AD%E5%8F%96%E6%B6%88-%E6%8C%87%E4%B8%8D%E8%83%BD%E6%94%B6%E6%8D%90%E6%AC%BE%E5%A6%82%E7%AD%89%E6%AD%BB?utm_source=chatgpt.com |website=Hong Kong Inmedia |language=zh-hk}} They were also found guilty of the charges and fined afterwards.

After taking the realm of the protest group, Chan was under increasing police surveillance. On one occasion she and other members were briefly detained by the police when went hiking, and on another surrounded by dozens of police at rallies. The party was also contacted by the authorities "suggesting" they do not petition to the government on politically sensitive dates.

On 29 June 2025, Chan hosted a press conference announcing the closure of the League of Social Democrats, saying she was "left with no choice" and had considered the safety of colleagues.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-29 |title=成立19年社民連解散：面對強大政治壓力 沒有第二個選擇 |url=https://www.rfi.fr/tw/%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB/20250629-%E6%88%90%E7%AB%8B19%E5%B9%B4%E7%A4%BE%E6%B0%91%E9%80%A3%E8%A7%A3%E6%95%A3-%E9%9D%A2%E5%B0%8D%E5%BC%B7%E5%A4%A7%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E5%A3%93%E5%8A%9B-%E6%B2%92%E6%9C%89%E7%AC%AC%E4%BA%8C%E5%80%8B%E9%81%B8%E6%93%87 |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=RFI |language=zh-Hant}} The disbandment of the last standing pro-democracy party marks the end of opposition bloc in Hong Kong.{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Hong Kong's last pro-democracy political party disbands citing 'tremendous political pressure' |url=https://globalvoices.org/2025/07/01/hong-kongs-last-pro-democracy-political-party-disbands-citing-tremendous-political-pressure/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=Global Voices |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-06-29 |title=The last Hong Kong pro-democracy party that held street protests disbands |url=https://apnews.com/article/league-social-democrats-disbands-prodemocracy-party-hong-7618d8dba691a2342625fed25572fc57 |access-date=2025-07-01 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Pomfret |first=James |last2=Pang |first2=Jessie |date=2025-06-29 |title=Hong Kong's last active pro-democracy group says it will disband amid security crackdown |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kongs-last-active-pro-democracy-group-says-it-will-disband-amid-security-2025-06-29/ |access-date=2025-07-01 |work=Reuters |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Davidson |first=Helen |date=2025-07-01 |title=Five years on, Hong Kong's national security law extinguishes last standing pro-democracy party |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/five-years-on-hong-kong-national-security-law-pro-democracy-party-league-of-social-democrats-china |access-date=2025-07-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Chan was divorced before she married her long-time partner Leung Kwok-hung in January 2021, after Leung was arrested by the national security police as part of the Hong Kong 47.{{cite news |date=2021-01-18 |title=長毛同緊密戰友陳寶瑩拉埋天窗 |url=https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20210118/EEAFUJBWAFEUNACCV7KC4I6PIA/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118203237/https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20210118/EEAFUJBWAFEUNACCV7KC4I6PIA/ |archive-date=2021-01-18 |accessdate=2021-01-18 |work=Apple Daily}}{{cite news |date=2021-12-23 |title=【2021回顧．47人家屬】社運元老社民連陳寶瑩受訪落淚堅持發聲：我不只是長毛太太 |url=https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/features/hottopic/feature-47chanpy-12232021055802.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |accessdate=2025-07-01 |work=RFA |language=zh-TW}} During an interview Chan described Leung as a "troublesome guy" when they first met in the 1970s, and the 2005 anti-WTO riot solidified their bond.

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Category:1956 births

Category:Hong Kong women activists

Category:League of Social Democrats politicians

Category:Living people