Legco poll a chance for Hong Kong to show its resilience after Tai Po fire

Last week’s deadly fire has cast a heavy shadow over Hong Kong, reminding us of the fragility of life and the need for solidarity in hard times. The central government has responded swiftly with its full attention and support. Aid and sympathy have poured in from across China, underscoring that Hong Kong’s pain is shared. The cause of the fire must be investigated and learned from in due course, but for now the priority is resilience.

The announcement that the Legislative Council election will proceed as planned this Sunday amid such grief is not a sign of indifference but trust – that Hongkongers can govern the special administrative region responsibly under “one country, two systems”. It offers Hong Kong an opportunity to display political and societal maturity: to show resilience in the face of loss and prove civic participation can coexist with national security and solidarity.

This is not a time for politicking or sterile confrontation, but for building confidence in Hong Kong’s institutions, strengthening the city’s long‑term viability and lending credence to the constitutional principle that defines its future. The alternatives – whether through electoral abstention or continued attempts to resist the reality that Hong Kong is part of China – are simply unwise.

Alexis de Tocqueville, writing in the 19th century, warned that democracy was fragile precisely because it depended on citizens’ willingness to participate. Even flawed elections trained societies in the habits of liberty. To withdraw from civic life was to invite despotism.

Around the world, revisionist politics is on the rise. In Indonesia, Suharto’s authoritarian legacy is being rehabilitated; in Chile, Augusto Pinochet’s record is being reframed by political forces that emphasise economic growth while downplaying repression. These are not distant curiosities. They are signs of a world where extremes thrive when societies fail to build stable institutions and moderate consensus.

In this global context, Hong Kong’s political development matters. Some argue that voting changes little. But history teaches us that silence is never neutral. It is a surrender of agency, a gift to those who would prefer a passive public.

  

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