Dennis Kwok

Dennis Kwok Wing-hang (; born 15 April 1978) is a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council having represented the Legal functional constituency from 2012 to 2020 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. 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. Later that month, Kwok announced his resignation from politics and left Hong Kong. In April 2021, it was reported that he had moved to Canada although later settled in the United States.

Early career

Kwok 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, Kwok 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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. On 11 November 2020, following a decision by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Kwok was disqualified from Legislative Council along with Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung. Hours later, 15 of their pro-democracy colleagues resigned from office in protest.

Kwok 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. He was reported in April 2021 to have moved to Canada. That same month, he announced that he had quit the Civic Party.

Legal and academic career

Following his departure from Hong Kong, in August 2021 Kwok was named as a Distinguished Scholar in the Asian Studies Program of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He also became a Senior Research Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School.

Kwok joined with three other lawyers in May 2022 to form a legal practice in the United States. The firm, Elliott Kwok Levine & Jaroslaw LLP, focuses on commercial litigation and international arbitration, white-collar criminal defense, regulatory counseling, China-related corporate advisory work, international human rights, and antitrust.

Awards

* Award for Distinction in International Law and Affairs from the New York State Bar Association’s International Section.
* Rule of Law Award from the U.K.’s Commonwealth Law Association.

Publications

“Look to Hong Kong, Not Ukraine, For Signals About China’s Taiwan Plans,” ''The Diplomat'', 4/
2022

“Nickel Short Saga Raises Questions About China’s Interference in International Markets,” ''The Diplomat'', 3/2
2022

“Hong Kong Is The Canary In The Coalmine: Why We Must Take Xi Jinping's Words Seriously When It Comes To Taiwan,” ''Taiwan Insight'', University of Nottingham, 3/2
2022

“Hong Kong Listing Means More Trouble for Didi,” ''The Wall Street Journal'', 12/
2021

“China’s Neo-Nationalism Poses Risks for International Businesses,” ''The Diplomat'', 11/
2021

“Xi Jinping Makes China a Dangerous Place for Investment,” ''The Wall Street Journal'', 9/2
2021

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwok, Dennis
1978 births
Living people
Alumni of King's College London
Alumni of the University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Christians
Civic Party politicians
Canadian people of Hong Kong descent
Hong Kong people of Canadian descent
Barristers of Hong Kong
HK LegCo Members 2012–2016
HK LegCo Members 2016–2021
People expelled from public office
Fugitives wanted under the Hong Kong national security law