Mar 1, 2022 Considering the severity of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong, the DAB Legislative Council members (Election Committee) support the SAR Government in carrying out Compulsory Universal Testing (CUT) with the assistance of the nation and recommend the following measures: In order to get better results, a lockdown should be imposed during CUT. Residents must stay at home except for going out for testing, or shopping at designated places, or seeking medical attention, and only designated industries or service providers should be allowed to open for business. The SAR Government should deploy sufficient manpower to provide counselling to affected citizens and address their basic needs and emergencies. The SAR government has to eliminate impacts on livelihood of the public by reducing the time required for compulsory testing. The CUT appointment should be arranged on family basis at nearby testing centers to eliminate the risk of getting infected. The SAR Government should provide assistance to citizens on online registration, set up a care team, and deploy a special task force to collect specimen of elderly citizens who are not physically capable of going out. The penalty of violating the compulsory testing should be increased from the current fine of $10,000 to $20,000 with a prison sentence to strengthen the deterrent effect of the law. We are pleased to learn that the Central Government is going to deploy a team of 9,000 members to Hong Kong providing assistance in accelerating the construction of isolation facilities and mobile field hospitals in eight locations. We urge the SAR Government to activate the relevant facilities as soon as possible, use local hotels and take advantage of the testing capacity in the mainland to implement the Compulsory Universal Testing scheme. We also suggest the SAR Government borrow and convert charity and religious premises, campsites for youth groups, LCSD facilities such as museums, libraries, sports centres, community halls or centres of the Home Affairs Department, schools, newly constructed and vacant units in public rental housing estates into temporary isolation facilities for infected persons with no or mild symptoms. The Government should ensure sufficient manpower and resources to transfer confirmed patients to isolation facilities in a timely manner. We urge the SAR Government to immediately provide adequate protective gears for medical staff in public hospitals where effective prevention and control measures for nosocomial infection should be carried out. We propose the Government to make good use of technology to speed up the process of CUT scheme and online booking. The Government should also seriously study the feasibility of adding a tracking function in "LeaveHomeSafe" and the launch of Health Code to prevent the spread of the epidemic and facilitate resumption of quarantine-free travel with the mainland in the future. We suggest all residents to undergo a round of rapid antigen tests at home before the implementation of CUT scheme. The Government should follow up positive cases immediately to avoid cross-infection risk during the CUT scheme. The epidemic situation in Hong Kong is severe and urgent. We hope all sectors of the society will cherish and value this opportunity for the CUT to ameliorate the current situation.

Feb 28, 2022 Due to the increasing severity of the epidemic, an accumulation of dead bodies occurred at hospitals and public mortuaries. In addition, the unclear dissemination of government's information gave chance to some troublemakers to spread false information on the Internet and social platforms in an attempt to attack the government and weaken the anti-epidemic effort, causing panic amongst people. In order to properly handle the above problems, the DAB requires the government to take the following measures as soon as possible: 1) Increase refrigeration equipment to temporarily store dead patients The government should immediately negotiate with the industry to rent refrigeration equipment to temporarily store bodies, increase the daily service volume of crematoriums and assist families in cremating dead bodies as soon as possible so as to allow the deceased’s funerals to be completed as soon as possible and to increase the turnover rate at the mortuaries. 2) Simplify statutory procedures for autopsy The government should simplify the statutory procedures for autopsy to speed up the turnover rate at the mortuaries. The bodies should be exempted from autopsy and be collected for the funeral under the consent of family members. 3) Enhance the dissemination of information The government should improve the dissemination of information, including strengthening cooperation with major TV stations and inserting government anti-epidemic information on various free TV channels. Key information related to COVID-19 testing, support for confirmed cases and close contacts, patient consultation, etc. should be emphasized so that the public can keep abreast of the latest information. 4) Respond aptly and combat false information The government should take strict measures to combat false information related to the epidemic, such as strengthening law enforcement and cooperating with universities and other institutions to better verify the authenticity of news, and clarify any inaccurate information.

The 48th UN Human Rights Council Side Meeting in Geneva discusses the situation in Hong Kong 2021.09.23 On September 23, 2021, during the 48th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the People's Republic of China Ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva hosted a video conference side event about "The Situation in Hong Kong". A group of representatives in Hong Kong shared at the meeting, including the Secretary for Security Mr. Chris Tang, Legislator Ms.Priscilla Leung and member of the All-China Youth Federation Ms Nixie Lam etc. Participants actively spoke for Hong Kong clarifing the fallacies of foreign countries in the Hong Kong ElectionCommittee. Lam pointed out that under the new election system, the broad representation has been greatly improved. In addition to the increase in membership from 1,200 to 1,500, the sector covers a wider range. They are divided according to their social functions and their historical roles and connections in the city. And stressed that if anyone has no doubts about the electoral college system in the United States, then they have no right to question the electoral committee system in Hong Kong. Lam also directly denounced the lack of sincere cooperation and the lack of sincere cooperation in the political leadership of various countries during the response to oronavirus which has led to the worsening the global anti-epidemic situation. She urged politicians and leaders of various countries to stop creating conflicts and start leading their own countries to face the challenges posed by the epidemic, instead of continuing to fight for the hegemony of the so-called Big Brother confrontational mentality. Western cyber hegemony made me tragically silenced Lam pointed out that the words and deeds of Western countries are different. Foreign politicians told Hong Kong youth that Hong Kong is no longer suitable for living. But at the same time, foreign chamber of commerce spent more than 11 million US dollars to set up a permanent office in Hong Kong, which is extremely irony. At the same time, her interviews with western media including vidoes, audio and online links have disappeared bizarrely in recent days, questioning whether the so-called Western democracy, freedom of speech, and human rights are limited to the unique rights of the West. Finally, Lam emphasized that as a young representative in Hong Kong, China, she will never give in because of this. She will continue to speak up internationally, in the society, and on the Internet, and fulfill her mission to protect Hong Kong with her own city. Attachment: The Full text of speech in English Video: 【ENG SUB】The 48th UN Human Rights Council Side Meeting in Geneva discusses the situation in Hong Kong Nixie Lam Hong Kong youth will never bow to foreign hegemony News contact: Miss Nixie Lam Tel: (852) 6344 0879

2021.08.17 Today, the DAB met the Chief Executive and submitted its new “Proposals for the Policy Address” to the government. At present, Hong Kong is returning from chaos to order following the implementation of the National Security Law and improvements made to the electoral system. Facing the dawn of a new era, the DAB believes the Chief Executive must lead the SAR government with the courage to reform to seize opportunities to respond to challenges from all sides. The DAB will use “Dedicated to Reforms and Embracing the New Era” as the central theme in this “Proposals for the Policy Address.” The document will focus on five key areas, comprising eight sections with 89 suggestions. Some of the focal points include: (1) UNDERSTANDING THE NATION’S DEVELOPMENT TO SHAPE A POSITIVE CHINA NARRATIVE 1. Strengthen the promotion of Chinese culture 1.1. Establish policies to promote civic participation Provide clear policy support and make good use of existing government and social resources to facilitate the widespread promotion of Chinese culture among all sectors. Fund and encourage non-government organisations, research centres and universities, etc., to strengthen research on Chinese history, culture and art, focusing on the theme of the Chinese spirit, values, and power. Explore from multiple perspectives, including political, economic, cultural, social and conservation, to help the Nation promote Chinese values and culture to the world. 1.2. Fully integrate Chinese culture into education Based on phased learning and step-by-step teaching principles, integrate the Chinese culture’s “Five Ways of Life” into the system, comprising moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic education. Allow the concepts to penetrate all stages of learning: formative, basic, vocational and higher education. 2. Request the SAR government’s offices in foreign countries to promote a positive China narrative Assist the Nation in demonstrating to the world a genuine, multi-faceted and comprehensive China that would allow foreign countries and people to understand China’s development and Chinese culture better. The SAR government’s overseas offices should expand their functions to promote China’s development and achievements and the successful practice of One Country, Two Systems. 3. Understanding History and Strengthening National Identity 3.1. Strengthen publicity of the heroic deeds of martyrs against Japanese militarism Strengthen publicity of Hong Kong’s anti-Japanese heroes, including establishing a permanent exhibition hall documenting the history of the anti-Japanese resistance and setting up relevant education and heritage trails based on the route taken by the Dongjiang Column guerrilla force and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade. 3.2. Set up the Museum of Modern Chinese History Set up a Museum of Modern Chinese History to raise the public’s understanding of the development of the Communist Party of China, the achievements of New China, and the development of One Country, Two Systems. (2) IMPROVING GOVERNANCE EFFECTIVENESS AND STRENGTHENING THE RULE OF LAW 4. Conduct reviews of the Political Appointments System With the global landscape experiencing sharp changes in recent years, the rapid rise of our Nation and the escalation of deep-seated conflicts in Hong Kong have brought severe challenges to the entire body of political appointees and accountability system. The government should promptly review the Political Appointments System. The review should learn from experience and expose deficiencies in the system to build a solid foundation for future accountability system reforms that ensure senior officials embody the spirit of power and responsibilities, thereby improving governance effectiveness. 5. Restructure the Development Bureau and the Housing Bureau Restructure the Development Bureau, the Transport and Housing Bureau to rationalise land planning and expand to a series of policy work on housing supply to enhance the efficiency and accountability of decision-making on land and housing supply. In terms of specific proposals, the government should integrate the housing policy of the Transport and Housing Bureau with the planning and land policy of the Development Bureau into a new Housing, Planning and Land Bureau. Meanwhile, it should restructure all infrastructure development, planned public works and water-related matters under the transport policy and Development Bureau into the Transport and Public Works Bureau. 6. Set up official branches in Greater Bay Area cities The government should set up offices in the nine Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area, with non-civil servants familiar with Mainland affairs serving as principal officials. It would help strengthen communication and cooperation with the Mainland government, better grasp the latest state of development at the national, provincial and city levels, strengthen support for Hong Kong-funded enterprises and Hong Kong residents living on the Mainland. 7. Reorganise the government‘s district governance system and governmental structure The government should abandon the outdated concept of “local administration” and establish a new “people and performance-oriented” style of “local governance” to properly solve the long-standing backlog of livelihood problems in the community. We recommend that the government reorganise the district governance system and governmental structure and politically appoint district commissioners to carry out regional governance work. Their work includes presiding over the district management committee to coordinate and lead various regional departments, solve livelihood issues in the community, complete various governance goals, and assess the effectiveness of governance. Additionally, in the future, the administrative divisions of different government departments should be redrawn according to the local administrative districts so that the departments can fully cooperate with the local administrative districts to perform their duties well. (3) PROMOTING THE NEW TERRITORIES NORTH TO BECOME A NEW DEVELOPMENT CENTRE 8. Development of six major districts The government needs a more well-rounded plan to develop New Territories North. The scale of development can be expanded in the future based on the existing foundations, with the six strategic districts in New Territories North as the core to create the “Hong Kong-Shenzhen Economic Cooperation Belt”. The six strategic districts are as follows: developing the Hung Shui Kiu area into a western logistics hub and innovation corridor; turning Au Tau/Ngau Tam Mei/Pat Heung into a new development area to provide more housing and employment; developing the Man Kam To/Lo Wu Port belt into a trade, medical and education region, with mainland educational resources ushered in to open school branches in the New Territories North; converting Sha Tau Kok/Yim Tin into a biological and historical tourism belt; developing Huanggang/Lok Ma Chau/San Tin into a hub for Hong Kong and Shenzhen innovation, and look into reforming customs clearance models to facilitate the convenient exchange of talents between the two places; turning Sheung Shui South and Gu Dong South into a modernised agriculture industrial park, with room to add more sporting and leisure facilities. The six districts will be used to develop vital industries such as modern logistics, innovative technology and tourism. They will create a synergistic effect with the economic development layout of the Shenzhen Port and form a “Dual Hubs Along One Corridor” structure with Central. 9. Use infrastructure projects to spur development Use infrastructure projects to spur development, including railway planning and highway planning. For railway planning, we recommend fully connecting the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Express Rail Link. For example, branch lines should be reserved for the Northern Link to connect the rebuilt New Huanggang Port through the Lok Ma Chao Loop while adding an Innovation and Technology Park station at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point. At the same time, look into building the first and second phases of the Northern Link simultaneously to speed up construction. Also, build a new North-South Railway to connect the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and construct additional stations at Ta Kwu Ling and Queen’s Hill. In addition, a Western thoroughfare could be built to connect to the Shenzhen Bay Port. Also, explore the possibility of developing a southbound railway from Shenzhen. For highway planning, build a new North-South route. It can utilise the existing bus network and allow dual-plate private cars from Hong Kong and Shenzhen to freely enter and exit the port. 10. Unleash the potential of land in the New Territories Increase the ratio of land for residential purposes when planning New Territories North and ratio the plot ratio from eight to 10 times to save land. At the same time, we recommend reviewing the wetlands in the Loop area and free up wetlands with lower ecological value for housing purposes. Then invest funds to focus on conserving land with high ecological value to balance development, conservation and industry. In addition, learn from the Mainland’s experience with its “Old Area Renovation” model, such as Liede Village in Guangzhou and the Yunong fishing village in Shenzhen. Under the premise of respecting private property rights, strategically choose villages in the New Territories as pilots to transform them into new communities so that the population can live in a concentrated area to free up more land. On the other hand, look into lowering the criteria for the sale of ancestral lands (Tso/Tong lands) and developing green belt areas as ways to increase land supply. As new land is being developed, ensure that affected operators of brownfield sites are accommodated appropriately and reserve land for the resettlement, upgrading, and transformation of the agricultural and fisheries industries. (4) STRENGTHENING ANTI-EPIDEMIC EFFORTS AND STRIVING TO REOPEN BORDERS 11. Strive for borders to reopen before October 1 Make every effort to get borders to reopen with the Mainland before October 1, and allow passage for Hong Kong residents who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine (one dose for those recovering from the coronavirus). These Hong Kong residents must also obtain negative results from two nucleic acid tests provided by government-recognised institutions no more than 24 hours before departure, in order to have their quarantine period sharply reduced to between three and seven days. This paves the way towards eventual quarantine-free cross-border travel. 12. Enhancing the COVID-19 vaccination programme 12.1. Through cooperation between the public and private sectors, the government should provide the public with free basic and essential body checks and medical assessments so that citizens may know whether they are suitable for vaccination; 12.2. With more and more different types of coronavirus vaccines making their way to the market, there are already pharmaceutical companies producing vaccines suitable for chronically ill patients and the elderly (such as the ZF2001 vaccine developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Company) to solve their concerns about their suitability for the vaccine due to poor health. The government should import these vaccines as soon as possible to allow chronically ill patients and the elderly to get vaccinated; 12.3. Cap the fee for self-paid COVID-19 antibody testing services at $240 by referring to existing self-paid coronavirus testing services. The government should reimburse the remainder of the costs to recognised testing institutions. Should any citizen be found to have insufficient antibodies, the government should make arrangements for them to receive a third dose of vaccine; 12.4. Begin making preparations for citizens who have already received two doses of the vaccine to get a booster dose for enhanced protection against the threat of the delta variant. (5) Promoting the development of sports 13. Strengthen support for active and retired athletes for further studies and employment opportunities 13.1. Review and improve remuneration of all Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) athletes Review and improve the treatment and remuneration of HKSI athletes of all levels, including the amount of funding for all elite athletes and senior team athletes. Review the treatment of athletes trained by the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Allow athletes who have or have not won medals in world-class events to enjoy a reasonable level of remuneration. 13.2. Optimise numerous existing employment and educational programmes for athletes Provide comprehensive support to the personal development of active and retired athletes, and make special arrangements for them to receive education. Assist them in searching for different career paths, expand the scope of help to include more athletes with disabilities and HKSI’s Tier B sports (para sports) athletes, etc. Encourage more secondary schools to participate in the HKSI’s “Partnership School Programme” to provide more flexible secondary school courses for full-time student-athletes; 13.3. Optimise the “Retired Athletes Transformation Programme” under the Home Affairs Bureau Increase the amount of subsidised remuneration for school sports promotion coordinators and positions in sports institutes; optimise existing employment development arrangements and cooperate with enterprises to launch athlete internships and employment programmes to help athletes broaden their employment channels. 14. Promote the professionalisation of athlete training 14.1. Continue to increase funding for the development of elite athletes The government should allocate additional resources and continue to increase funding for the development of elite athletes. In line with the development trends of international sports, actively push for sports management, sports science, and sports medicine to be professionalised to enhance support for elite athletes comprehensively. Increase the number of skill coaches, fitness coaches, dietitians, physiotherapists, emotion management experts and psychologists, etc., to provide specialised support for athletes. The government should accelerate the development of scientific training, identify the latest technologies, tools and equipment and import them to Hong Kong to maximise opportunities for local athletes to rank among the world’s elite； 14.2. Cross-annual funding for well-developed and more influential sports associations The government should implement the recommended measures in the “Sports Subvention Scheme” review and provide cross-year funding for well-developed and more influential sports associations based on the Pilot Scheme model. It would allow them to lay down relatively more extended development plans and continue supporting sports associations in promoting team sports such as basketball, handball, and hockey. 15. Make a bid for the 2025 National Games and the 2029 Asian Youth Games With the expected completion of the Kai Tak Sports Park in 2023, the government should actively consider bidding for the 2025 National Games; discuss with the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong about making a bid for major sporting events such as the 2029 Asian Youth Games and the biennial Universiade, so as to demonstrate to the world Hong Kong’s ability to organise large-scale sports events, and consolidate the city’s position as the capital of international sporting spectacles. 16. Accelerate the popularisation of sports 16.1. Complete the 26 projects in the “Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities” as soon as possible Complete the 26 projects in the “Five-year Plan for Sports and Recreational Facilities” as soon as possible to avoid the situation of low construction efficiency. Review the causes of the lengthy building period of recreational facilities from consultation to construction, set up project supervision teams within the department to speed up the planning process. For example, the redevelopment of Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool has stalled for more than 12 years from planning to its expected completion in 2024. The government must rectify the situation of lengthy planning and construction; 16.2. Solve existing difficulties in public sports venue reservation Optimise the reservation mechanism for sports venues and facilities as soon as possible to ensure their booking and allocation are more equitable, thereby achieving the goal of “popularisation”.

2021.04.27 The DAB has elected its party heads of the new term today. LEE Wai King, Starry was elected the DAB Chairperson while CHEUNG Kwok Kwan, Horace, CHAN Yung, Brave, CHAN Hak Kan, Gary, CHOW Ho Ding, Holden and CHAN Hok Fung were elected as Vice-Chairpersons, WONG Shun Yee, Albert was elected as Secretary General and CHONG Wai Ming, Steve was elected as Treasurer. IP Ngo Tung, Chris was appointed as Deputy Secretary Generals. LO Man Tuen was elected as Chairperson of the 9th Senate. The Party heads met the media after the meetings. Speaking at the conference, LEE Wai King, Starry said ”this leadership transition occurs during a unique time, coinciding with the Central Government’s decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system to begin a new era in our city. Our new leadership bears the great responsibility of leading the DAB into this new age.” She points out that the new political landscape under this new era in Hong Kong will facilitate significant changes in the development of political parties. The DAB must evolve with the times to fully play its proper role in this new era. We believe the DAB must consistently defend our four core positions: to be resolute patriots; to be defenders of One Country, Two Systems; to be practical doers in serving Hong Kong residents, and to be active promoters of social reform. She continued that the scope of our future work encompasses three aspects. One - promoting social reform remains our primary task. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the DAB’s establishment. By this time, we shall update the DAB’s manifesto befitting the times. Our new manifesto will establish a clear discourse and position on social policy to urge the government to be more proactive and effective in solving various deep-rooted problems in society. We will also foster equality and justice in society to ensure all social classes can enjoy the fruits of economic prosperity. The second aspect involves us clearly defining “participation in elections” and “participation in governmental administration” as the DAB’s two development goals. Regarding our participation in elections, the DAB will not ease up on our community work. However, at the same time, we must build more extensive and stable connections with different industries and sectors. We are committed to building partnerships with various industries and sectors to allow the DAB to represent society’s diverse interests in a comprehensive and balanced manner. Regarding our participation in governmental administration, the DAB must establish more comprehensive policy discourse and propositions that adopt a more macro perspective and a way of thinking that is geared towards governmental administration. To this end, we shall upgrade the party’s Policy Committee to the Policy Initiative Committee to serve as the nucleus of our policy decisions. We will set up a policy advisory board and invite experienced individuals from inside and outside the party to aid the work of the Policy Initiative Committee. Meanwhile, the DAB will partner with various non-governmental think tanks to improve our policy research by tapping into the wisdom of our civilian population. The goal is to continue promoting our policy initiatives and strive for the government to adopt and implement them. Additionally, we will enhance the division of responsibilities in the councils. Some councillors will be responsible for initiating policies, while others will be responsible for district work and consolidating our community relationships. The third aspect involves the DAB enhancing its organisational structure further. First of all, we will continue to move towards a better division of party policies to improve our development and raise the overall quality of political discussions. Next, we will establish a reserve pool of political talent by providing training and various paths for participation in politics or governmental administration. The aim is to allow all DAB members to play to their strengths and reach their full potential. Finally, we endeavour to strengthen the development of YoungDAB by providing more desirable opportunities for youngsters to participate in patriots governing Hong Kong and serve society in general. Starry LEE concluded that the DAB will vigorously participate in governmental administration to promotes social reform and make contributions to the development of Hong Kong and One Country, Two Systems. News contact: DAB Chairperson Starry LEE (7770-0820)

2021.04.15 In early March, DAB Legislative Councillor Vincent CHENG with representatives from Federation of Hong Kong, Kowloon New Territories Hawker Associations urged the authorities to relaunch the subsidy scheme for contactless payment in public markets on a press conference and in a meeting with representatives of the Food and Health Bureau (FHB). The subsidy scheme ended in December last year and its relaunch can be tied in with the implementation of electronic consumption vouchers. In answering Vincent’s question at a special meeting of the Finance Committee, the Bureau said the scheme will be relaunched within this month. Vincent welcomed the relaunch of the scheme and expected the authorities to better promote the scheme to traders and also benefit the hawkers in hawker stalls managed by the FHB. According to information provided by the government, eligible stall hawkers could receive a one-off grant of $5,000 to install contactless payment devices under the subsidy scheme launched in October last year. A total of 2,700 out of 3,500 applications were approved, 2,700 electronic payment systems were installed with the amount of $13.5 million subsidy disbursed. On the other hand, Vincent was informed that one of the authorized stored value facility operators is going to waive transaction fees for six months after the issuance of electronic consumption vouchers. He urged the authorities to request the other three authorized operators to follow suit.

2021.04.15 The Convenor of the DAB "Supermarket Price Concern Group" (the Group) Frankie NGAN said that they had revealed at a press conference in early March that the price of "Golden Phoenix Thai Hom Mali Fragrant Rice 5kg" sold by Wellcome had increased by 10% within six months. This reflects supermarkets had kept increase their prices during the epidemic. The latest survey conducted by the Consumer Council further confirmed this observation that price increases of supermarket products are very common under the epidemic and the poor economy. The Group demands supermarkets to fulfill social responsibilities and offer a "30% discount on all orders" immediately to help the public tide over this difficult period.​

2021.04.15 The application for the "The Way of Governance” organized by the DAB has been closed on April 14, 2021. The course attracted more than 350 applicants from different sectors of society. The overwhelming response indicates that the relatively stable political environment in Hong Kong encouraged people with political aspirations to achieve their ambitions by taking the course. The Selection Committee of the course has already started the selection process and qualified applicants will be notified of their interviews, which will be held on 1 and 2 May.​

2021.04.13 We support the government's official publication of the Improving Electoral System (Consolidated Amendments) Bill 2021 and will participate fully in the scrutiny of the Bill within the Legislative Council to ensure its proper and timely passage. The Bill is pursuant to the Decision of the NPC on improving Hong Kong's electoral system and the NPCSC's amendments of Annexes I and II to the Basic Law. It must embody the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong", uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests, expand political participation in a balanced and orderly manner with wider representation in Hong Kong society, implement an executive-led government, enhance the effectiveness of the government's governance and enable the government to focus on economic development, improvement of people's livelihood and open up a new horizon for Hong Kong. We will carefully scrutinise specific issues to be addressed by the Bill at the Bills Committee, including the composition of the Election Committee subsectors, the eligibility of the Legislative Council functional constituencies and relevant bodies and individual electorates; the division of geographical constituencies for direct elections; the method of nomination of candidates and voting; and the composition of the candidate eligibility review committee, etc. We will reflect views of various sectors of society to ensure the Bill can achieve the above legislative objectives and establish a "new electoral system with Hong Kong characteristics and is in line with the situation in Hong Kong". We also welcome the proposals for improving the public electoral arrangements, including implementing electronic poll registers, setting up a special queue for electors in need, empowering the Chief Electoral Officer to request schools and NGOs receiving government subsidies to lend their premises for setting up polling and/or counting stations in public elections, and enhancing the inspection and compilation of the registers of electors to better protect voters' privacy. In addition, we urge the authorities to increase the number of staff and mobile registration stations to facilitate voter registration required by May 2 for the Legislative Council elections to be held in December this year.​

2021.04.09 Following the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Central Government has further improved the electoral system of Hong Kong to fully and faithfully enforce the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" and provide a sound guarantee for the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems". The DAB believes that talents in governance are the key to create conditions for enhancing the HKSAR governance, developing the economy and improving people's livelihood. Therefore, the course “Way of Governance” (the course) organized and announced on Mar 15, 2021 will aim at nurturing more talents in governance. We expect that those who have the ability and aspiration of participating in government and serving Hong Kong will be better prepared through studying the course and are able to realise their aspirations by participating in the governance of Hong Kong in different ways. DAB Chairperson Starry LEE recently had a chat with the Chief Executive Carrie LAM on the idea of the course. Mrs. LAM praised the DAB for taking the lead in nurturing more talented people with philosophy of governance for Hong Kong. She believes that these talents should not be confined only to the legislature and hopes the DAB can share these talents with the government. “These talents can also take part in executive as both the executive and legislature are part of the political system of the HKSAR”, said Mrs. LAM. Mrs. LAM said that the “Way” (hanzi "Tao") lodged within the name of the course was very important, since it means the cultivation of philosophy in governance. She said that knowledge and skills in governance and familiarity with the operation of government are not more important than the learning of philosophy: what kind of philosophy is needed to govern Hong Kong? She hopes that the course will help nurture more people with a philosophy of governance in Hong Kong, as both the content and speakers of the course are of great weight. The speakers for the course were a strong one, including senior academics, experts and officials from the Mainland and Hong Kong. During the interview, Starry LEE also took the initiative to invite Carrie LAM to be a keynote speaker to share her 40 years’ experience in public service and governance of Hong Kong, which Mrs. LAM said she would be happy to do.

2021.04.05 Survey Summary Online shopping has become a new mode of consumption. Many families reduce their shopping trips and increase online shopping in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. However, there are certain risks associated with online shopping. According to the Consumer Council, the number of complaints about online shopping in 2020 is three times that of 2019, an increase of nearly 200%, with delayed delivery, change/termination of contracts and price/charge disputes received largest number of complaints. In addition, the number of online shopping frauds received by the Police in 2020 is two times that of 2019. The situation warrants our concern. To better understand how people shopped online during the epidemic and the unpleasant experiences they underwent, the DAB Family Affairs Committee recently interviewed 3,212 people in which 33% had the habit of shopping online. Among those who had the habit of shopping online, over 60% shopped online more often during the COVID-19 epidemic, and more than 10% spent over $3,000 more on online shopping than usual, with the largest number of purchases being household groceries and daily necessities. Over 45% of the respondents had unpleasant experiences with online shopping, mostly involving problems such as mismatched goods and defective products. They believe that the government should step up online inspections and enforcement and strengthen the handling of cross-border consumer complaints with the relevant Mainland authorities in order to protect consumers. Recommendations 1. Study the regulation of e-commerce. The Government should study the regulation of companies and businesses in e-commerce, following the example of overseas countries. These include the enactment of specific legislation to protect consumers in e-commerce, covering the pre-sale, sale and post-sale stages; the introduction of a cooling-off period - from order confirmation to certain days after the arrival of the goods - to allow consumers to cancel the transaction; and the use of less costly means to assist buyers and sellers in coordinating disputes and handling claims. 2. Strengthen enforcement and online inspections. The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) should step up enforcement actions to deter online trade mal-practices. The Police should also enhance its monitoring of the trend regarding online frauds and maintain a close connection with local, Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat such fraudulent cases. Related authorities should increase online inspections and enforcement as well as to take proactive follow-up actions if suspected mal-practices are identified. 3. Enhance the handling of cross-border consumer complaints with the Mainland authorities. In view of the prevalence of consumer disputes arising from Hong Kong consumers' spending on Mainland online shopping platforms, we recommend that the Consumer Council should strengthen its cooperation with the China Consumers' Association in handling cross-border consumer complaints in order to speed up the processing time and resolve the relevant consumer disputes in a timely manner. 4. Strengthen public messaging and education. The Government should strengthen public messaging, education and publicity on online shopping to remind the public of the risks and precautions involved in online shopping, and to raise public awareness regarding the protection of consumer’s online shopping rights and to prevent fraud.

2021.04.01 The election of the 16th Central Committee counted the votes yesterday afternoon and the final turnout rate reached 56%. On the other hand, a total of 42 nomination forms for the Senate were received. As the number of candidates did not exceed the maximum number of people resolved by the Central Committee, all candidates for the Senate were elected automatically and no voting was required. The lists are as follows. The Central Committee and Senate will hold their first meetings in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 7, at which time the Central Committee will elect its Standing Committee, and the Standing Committee will elect a new leadership; the Senate will elect the chairperson and vice-chairpersons. The new leadership will meet with the press after the meeting. The relevant arrangements will be notified separately.