Third Side

Third Side is a centrist political party in Hong Kong.[1] Headed by former Democrat Tik Chi-yuen, the party claims to offer an alternative middle-of-the road path in the increasingly polarised politics between the pan-democracy camp and the pro-Beijing camp,[2] on achieving democracy in the "third road".

Third Side

新思維
ChairmanTik Chi-yuen
Vice-ChairmanEdwin Cheng
Founded3 January 2016 (2016-01-03)
Membership (2016) 68
IdeologyLiberal conservatism
Conservative liberalism
Political positionCentre
Colours     Green
Legislative Council
0 / 70
District Councils
0 / 458
Website
thirdside.org.hk
Third Side
Traditional Chinese新思維

History

It is headed by chairman Tik Chi-yuen, former vice-chairman of the Democratic Party and vice-convenor Wong Sing-chi, former Democrat legislator. Wong was expelled by the Democrats in July 2015 for urging legislators to accept the Beijing-decreed political reform package. Tik subsequently quit in September, citing differences on the pursuit of democracy.[3]

The party's 20-member preparatory committee included former Democrats Chan Ka-wai and Chow Yick-hay, and Centaline Property Agency co- founder Shih Wing-ching, who was also from Path of Democracy, the think tank set up by fellow moderate and former Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong Ka-wah.[2] Others included Hung Fook Tong executive director Ricky Szeto Wing-fu and Shue Yan University associate professor Lee Shu-kam. The party was inaugurated at a 7 January ceremony.[3]

Wong Sing-chi was a candidate in the Legislative Council by-election in early 2016, but lost the race by coming in the fifth place.

After the by-election, the party once considered filling candidates in the 2016 Legislative Council elections.[2] And yet, on 22 July 2016, ten members of the Third Side quit which included two vice-chairmen Marcus Liu Tim-shing and Ben Kuen Ping-yiu, who were all part of the team that was going to run in the New Territories East constituency. They stated that the party had fallen short of their expectation to forge a new brand of politics perched between the two traditional blocs. The party argued that their departure was due to the party's decision not to field any candidates in New Territories East in the upcoming election.[4] The party failed to win any seat in the election.

On 19 December 2017, Macau denied entry to Third Side member Wong Chun-long for security reasons despite inviting him to attend a conference on Macau's finance and information technology sectors.[1]

Political Stance

In initial stage, Third Side was considered as a centrist political organization between the pro-Democracy camp and pro-Beijing camp. and had a direct competition with pro-Democracy Alvin Yeung and pro-Beijing Holden Chow in the 2016 New Territories East by-election. However, during 2016 Hong Kong legislative election, it was reported that pro-Beijing camp once considered allocating votes to Tik Chi-yuen, who were running the election in the Kowloon West constituency in the hope of defeating pro-democracy and localist candidates[5]

In November 2018 Kowloon West by-election, Dik endorsed pro-Beijing candidate Chan Hoi-yan together with other pro-Beijing politician.[6][7]

Performance in elections

Legislative council elections
Election Number of
popular votes		 % of
popular votes		 GC
seats		 FC
seats		 Total seats +/− Position
2016 13,461 0.62 0 0
0 / 70
 – –

District Council elections
Election Number of
popular votes		 % of
popular votes		 Total
elected seats		 +/−
2015 2,011 0.14
0 / 431
 0
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See also

References
  1. Cheng, Kris (19 December 2017). "Macau denies entry to member of centrist Hong Kong party, citing 'intention' to jeopardise public security".
  2. Ng, Kang-chung (29 September 2015). "New Hong Kong political party Third Side prepares to test its moderate stance in Legco elections". South China Morning Post.
  3. Siu, Jasmine (29 September 2015). "Ex-Dems set up new party". The Standard.
  4. "We quit: 10 members from middle-of-the-road political party Third Side leave due to differences". South China Morning Post. 22 July 2016.
  5. "狄志遠非親生仔 建制派拒過票 - 東方日報". orientaldaily.on.cc. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  6. "與建制同台撐陳凱欣 憶共商教育 狄志遠：你嘅表情感動我 中間選民有個好選擇 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞". 立場新聞 Stand News. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  7. Pao, Ming. "陳凱欣造勢 老公邱文華「復出」 狄志遠撐場：與陳認識不深". www.mingpaocanada.com. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
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