Dennis Kwok

Dennis Kwok Wing-hang (Chinese: 郭榮鏗; born 15 April 1978) is a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council having represented the Legal functional constituency from 2012 to 2016 and a founding member of Civic Party. In the Legislative Council, he was the Deputy Chairman of both the House Committee and the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services.[3][4] On 11 November 2020, he was disqualified from the Legislative Council, along with three other lawmakers of the pan-democratic camp, by the central government in Beijing on request of the Hong Kong government. A mass resignation of pan-democrats the same day left the Legislative Council without a substantial opposition.

Dennis Kwok
郭榮鏗
Dennis Kwok in 2016
Member of the Legislative Council
In office
1 October 2012 – 11 November 2020
Preceded byMargaret Ng
ConstituencyLegal
Personal details
Born (1978-04-15) 15 April 1978
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Nationality
Political partyCivic Party
Professional Commons
Spouse(s)
Leslie
​
(m. 2007)​
[2]
Children2
Alma materLa Salle Primary School
Rugby School
King's College London (LL.B)
University of Hong Kong (PCLL)
OccupationBarrister
Signature
Dennis Kwok Wing-hang
Traditional Chinese郭榮鏗
Simplified Chinese郭荣铿

Early career

He was educated at King's College London (LLB, 1999) and the University of Hong Kong (PCLL). He was admitted as a solicitor in the High Court of Hong Kong in 2002 and to the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales in 2003.

He subsequently left his practice as a solicitor to join the Bar in 2006 with a focus in civil and public administrative law. In 2008, he served on the Bar Council.

Political career

In 2006, Dennis was elected as an Election Committee Member for the Legal Functional Constituency, and was re-elected in 2011.

In 2007, he co-founded The Professional Commons, a public policy think-tank, and in 2008, he joined the Citizens Commission for Constitutional Development headed by the former Chief Secretary, Mrs. Anson Chan.

He took part in the 2011 District Council Election (South Horizons East constituency) but he was defeated.[5]

In 2012, he succeeded Margaret Ng and won the seat of Legal functional constituency in Legislative Council.

Political strategy

On assuming office as the legal-sector lawmaker, Kwok expressed support for the use of filibustering tactics by the pro-democracy camp, arguing that "the existing rules of procedure already make it sufficiently difficult for members to continue to filibuster without limitation". He said he would challenge any effort by the pro-government camp to inhibit the practice.[6]

From October 2019 to May 2020, while Kwok was Deputy Chairman of Legco's House Committee, no election for the vacant post of its Chairman took place, for which Kwok was accused by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and other pro-government voices of misconduct by paralysing Legco through filibustering tactics.[7] In April 2020, pro-establishment lawmakers argued that Dennis Kwok was "no longer fit" to preside over sessions as his continued filibustering tactics had left multiple pieces of legislation in limbo.[8]

On 15 May 2020, Legco president Andrew Leung removed Kwok from the post of committee Deputy Chairman and imposed Finance Committee chair Chan Kin-por in his place.[9]

The move was vociferously opposed by democratic members, and led to shouting and scuffles in the chamber, during which eleven opposition lawmakers were ejected. The following week, Starry Lee was re-elected Chair, and the committee proceeded with addressing a backlog of bills for review.[10][11]

Disqualification and dismissal

Five weeks ahead of the (subsequently postponed) 2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council Election, on 30 July 2020, as Kwok prepared to defend his seat, the government stated that he was among a dozen pro-democracy candidates whose nominations were 'invalid', under an opaque process in which, nominally, civil servants – returning officers – assess whether, for instance, a candidate had objected to the enactment of the national security law, or was sincere in statements made disavowing separatism.[12] On 11 November 2020, following a decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress he was disqualified from Legislative Council along with three other lawmakers; this resulted in the resignation of a further 15 pro-democracy lawmakers.[13]

He announced on 21 November that he was resigning from politics after being disqualified. As reasons for his step, he cited his perception of being unable to advance his career in politics, as well as family reasons.[14]

References
  1. "立會開鑼-李慧琼當選內委會主席-郭榮鏗出任副主席". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  2. 10 years Time flies, Dennis Kwok via Facebook
  3. House Committee, Legislative Council, 2016-2020
  4. Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, Legislative Council, 2016-2020
  6. "Lawmaker Dennis Kwok to oppose proposed curbs on filibusters". South China Morning Post. 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  7. "More arguments as Legco's gridlocked House Committee meets". South China Morning Post. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  8. "Hong Kong lawmakers debate but fail to break committee deadlock". South China Morning Post. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  9. Dennis Kwok removed, House Committee poll next week, RTHK, 15 May 2020
  10. "Wall-climbing, shouts, scuffles: Hong Kong Legco committee talks turn ugly". South China Morning Post. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  11. "Hong Kong lawmakers debate but fail to break committee deadlock". South China Morning Post. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  12. Ho, Kelly; Grundy, Tom; Creery, Jennifer (30 July 2020). "Hong Kong bans Joshua Wong and 11 other pro-democracy figures from legislative election". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  13. "Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers resign after China ruling". BBC News. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  14. Wong, Natalie (21 November 2020). "Prominent Hong Kong lawmaker Dennis Kwok, ousted after Beijing ruling, says he is leaving politics". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Preceded by
Margaret Ng		 Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Legal
2012–2020		 Vacant
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