Hong Kong's Democratic Party said late on Thursday it would start preparations to disband and wind up its affairs after a meeting of its leadership, amid a years-long national security crackdown in the China-ruled city.

Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party took an initial step toward dissolving on Thursday. Hong Kong’s Democratic Party’s chairperson Lo Kin-hei said in a news conference that the party's central committee decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures involved.

Hong Kong's Democratic Party said Thursday it is formally dissolving what once was the main political opposition group in the city. A task force has been set up to handle the legal and financial details of dissolution.

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party said on Thursday that it would begin steps to disband, citing the political situation. The city’s largest opposition group, the Democratic Party marked its 30th anniversary last year.

Hong Kong's Democratic Party is bringing down the curtains after 30 years of being politically active. On Thursday, the leader of the pro-democracy party announced that preparations are underway to shut down the operations.