View source for Article 45 Concern Group

{{Politics of Hong Kong}}{{refimprove|date=August 2017}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Chinese|title=Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group |size=280|t=《基本法》四十五條關注組|ci={{IPA|yue|kéi pǔːn fāːt sēi sɐ̀p<br>̬ŋ tʰȉːu kʷɐ́n tɕȳː tsǒu|}}|j=gei1 bun2 faat3 sei3 sap6<br>ng5 tiu4 gwan1 zyu3 zou2|y=gēi bún fat sei sahp<br>ńgh tiùh gwāan jyu jóu|p=Jīběnfá Sīshíwǔtiáo Guānzhùzǔ}}'''Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group'''  was a pro-[[democracy]] [[political group]] in the [[Hong Kong|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.<ref name="HKDF">{{cite web|title=Role of Article 45 Concern Group and The Future of The Pan Democrats|url=http://www.hkdf.org/newsarticles.asp?show=newsarticles&newsarticle=158|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830194509/http://www.hkdf.org/newsarticles.asp?show=newsarticles&newsarticle=158|archive-date=2006-08-30|date=2005-01-19}}</ref>

==Beliefs==
The group originated from the "Basic Law Article 23 Concern Group", which was formed to criticise the HKSAR Government's [[National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill 2003|legislative proposals]] to implement the anti-subversion [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23|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 of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]] and the Legislative Council is stipulated under [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 45|Article 45]] and [[Hong Kong Basic Law|Article 68]] of the [[Hong Kong Basic Law|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 [[2005 Hong Kong electoral reform|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==
{{Main|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==
{{Reflist}}
{{Hong Kong political parties}}
[[Category:Political organisations based in Hong Kong]]