Following is a question by Dr the Hon Wendy Hong and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
      
Question:

     According to the 2021 Population Census, over 100 000 households lived in subdivided units (SDUs) in Hong Kong, and the Report of the Task Force for the Study on Tenancy Control of SDUs published by the Transport and Housing Bureau in March 2021 revealed that nearly 50 per cent of SDU households had not applied for public rental housing (PRH). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the current number and percentage of sandwich class households with household income exceeding the income limit for PRH among the SDU households who have not applied for PRH;

(2) whether it has compiled statistics on the current number and percentage of households having household members who are non‍-‍Hong Kong residents (including Mainland residents holding Exit-entry Permits for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao as well as non-refoulement claimants) among the SDU households who have not applied for PRH;

(3) whether it has compiled statistics on (i) the number of sandwich class households with household income exceeding the income limit for PRH, and (ii) the number of households having household members who were non-Hong Kong residents mentioned in (2), among the households living in SDUs between 2016 and 2021, as well as their respective percentages in the SDU households who had not applied for PRH; and

(4) whether it has studied if, apart from the aforesaid reasons, there are other reasons why SDU households have not applied for PRH, together with the numbers and percentages of such households by reason?
      
Reply:
      
President,
      
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has all along been paying attention to the housing needs of those who are inadequately housed. We are taking forward a series of measures, including the provision of about 20 000 transitional housing units and construction of about 30 000 Light Public Housing units, so as to provide more housing options for people who are currently inadequately housed, including those living in subdivided units (SDUs), to improve their living environment.
      
     Having consulted the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the reply to various parts of the question raised by Dr the Hon Wendy Hong is as follows:
      
(1) to (3) According to thematic reports on persons living in SDUs in C&SD's 2021 Population Census and 2016 Population Bi-census, there were about 108 000 and 93 000 SDUs in Hong Kong in 2021 and 2016 respectively, accommodating about 216 000 and 210 000 persons. The relevant information reflecting the situation in 2021 is as follows:
      
(i) The median monthly household income of households living in SDUs was $15,310, which was 13.4 per cent higher than $13,500 in 2016. Among households living in SDUs, the monthly household income of 22.0 per cent (about 24 000 households) was below $10,000, similar to that in 2016 (23.7 per cent; about 22 000 households); that of 24.5 per cent (about 26 000 households) was $10,000 – $14,999, significantly fewer than that in 2016 (35.6 per cent; about 33 000 households); that of 19.4 per cent (about 21 000 households) was $15,000 – $19,999, also fewer than that in 2016 (26.1 per cent; about 24 000 households); and that of 34.2 per cent (about 37 000 households) was $20,000 and above, significantly more than that in 2016 (14.6 per cent; about 13 000 households);
      
(ii) Among persons living in SDUs, the majority was Chinese (87.6 per cent; about 188 000 persons), followed by South Asians (6.3 per cent; about 13 000 persons) and Filipinos (2.0 per cent; about 4 200 persons), largely similar to the situation in 2016; and
      
(iii) About one-fifth (21.2 per cent; about 23 000 households) of households living in SDUs had at least one household member from the Mainland having resided in Hong Kong for less than seven years, fewer than that in 2016 (25.6 per cent; about 24 000 households).
      
     It is the objective of the Hong Kong Housing Authority to provide housing to low-income families who cannot afford to rent private accommodation. Households with income and assets below the prescribed limits are deemed to be low-income families who are unable to afford renting private accommodation, and hence are eligible to apply for public rental housing (PRH). The limits are assessed annually to keep them in line with the prevailing socio-economic circumstances. The income and asset limits for PRH application vary in accordance with the family size. The relevant details are at Annex. As the Government does not keep income information of SDU households by household size, the number of SDU households with household income exceeding the income limit of PRH application is not available. Furthermore, the Government does not keep information on the income of SDU households which have not applied for PRH and whether the relevant persons are Hong Kong residents.
      
(4) Persons living in SDUs may decide not to apply, or have not applied, for PRH with their own considerations or due to different reasons (including transportation and geographical location). Besides, PRH applicants must not own or co-own any domestic property in Hong Kong; while persons who are not granted the right to land in Hong Kong (e.g. Mainland residents holding Exit-entry Permits for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao as well as non-refoulement claimants) cannot be included in PRH applications either. Hence, when handling the SDU issue, the HKSAR Government has to carefully consider the impacts brought by relevant measures and formulate follow-up arrangement, so as to avoid displacing some SDU households who are not eligible for PRH to accommodation with higher rents, or even rendering them homeless.

     Following is the speech (translated from Chinese) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, in presenting the Government Minute in response to Report No. 80 of the Public Accounts Committee in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
 
President,
 
      Laid on the table today is the Government Minute (GM) responding to Report No. 80 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented to the Legislative Council on  July 12, 2023.
 
     I welcome the Report of the PAC and am grateful for the time and efforts devoted by the Chairman of the PAC, the Hon Shiu Ka-fai, and members of the PAC. The Government accepts the PAC's various recommendations and sets out in detail in the GM the specific responses of the relevant bureaux and departments. The PAC has conducted public hearings on the chapter on "Maintenance and improvement of school premises for aided schools" in the Director of Audit's Report No. 80. I would like to highlight the key measures taken and progress made by the Government and relevant organisations in response to the recommendations.
 
     As noted by the PAC, the Audit Commission examined the works carried out from 2020 to 2022, during which the daily operation of schools, including the maintenance and repair works in school premises, was greatly affected by the epidemic. The related works quality monitoring work was also delayed in certain months. As schools were closed intermittently, government staff and contractors could not enter the school premises to work. In addition, various anti-epidemic measures resulted in serious shortage of works personnel. This notwithstanding, the Education Bureau (EDB) endeavoured to maintain all necessary Emergency Repairs (ER) works and implemented improvement programmes in response to the anti-epidemic needs. Upon the easing of the epidemic, the EDB immediately caught up with the progress and, in some cases, went beyond the target. We are grateful for the recommendations of the Audit Commission and the PAC, which enable the EDB to further improve the mechanism so as to better assist schools in improving the learning and teaching environment.
 
     As regards contract management, the EDB has completed a series of computer system enhancements to carry out the relevant work more effectively, including selection of Works Orders (WOs) for various types of audits, reminding Term Consultants (TCs) to submit replies to audit cases, reminding the TCs to certify completion of the WOs, and recording detailed justifications for approval of repair applications. In addition, the EDB has strengthened existing guidelines or issued new guidance notes to assist the TCs in handling repair applications from schools and improving the quality of various repair reports.
 
     Currently, all schools comply with the requirements of the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance, as well as the requirements related to the display of the national flag and conduct of national flag raising ceremonies as set out in the EDB circular. The EDB pays great attention to the status of flagpoles on school premises. If a flagpole is so damaged that it cannot operate, the EDB will handle it without delay. The EDB updated the guidelines in May and July 2023, clearly requiring the TCs and schools to handle the repair works of flagpoles that are not in normal operation through the ER. The EDB will continue to examine the technical feasibility for schools that intend to install additional flagpoles and carry out the works for them wherever feasible.
 
     The Government attaches great importance to the fact that there are still asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in the building components in a small number of school buildings. The EDB launched a time-limited Asbestos Management Plan for School Premises in 2006 to engage professionals to remove the building components containing asbestos for schools in Hong Kong in accordance with the methods approved by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Such removal works were completed for more than 570 schools in Hong Kong. However, some schools indicated that as the remaining ACMs were concealed under the floor, the removal works would affect school operation. Professional assessment also confirmed that such ACMs would not pose danger to school users. The schools thus chose to remove the ACMs together with other works items during Major Repairs (MR) works. The EDB liaised closely with these schools and appointed professionals for the schools to closely monitor the building components with the ACMs in accordance with the EPD guidelines. The latest regular inspection completed in February this year confirmed that all building components with the ACMs were in good condition and would not pose safety hazard. With the co-ordination of the EDB, the remaining 11 schools have submitted applications for removing the building components with the ACMs through the 2024-2025 MR or ER mechanism. The EDB will continue to maintain close liaison with these schools to ensure that the required works will be completed in good time.
 
     As for the thresholds for the minimum repair cost for applications by aided schools, the EDB has commenced the review and aims to complete it within the 2023/24 school year.
 
     President, I would like to thank the PAC again for its efforts and suggestions. The bureaux and departments concerned will strictly adhere to their responses and implement the improvement measures set out in the GM.
 
     Thank you, President.

     Following is a question by the Hon Michael Tien and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
 
Question:
 
     The extension of the accident and emergency department (AED) of Tuen Mun Hospital officially commenced service in June this year. However, the current waiting time at that AED is frequently criticised by residents in the district as overly long. Regarding the services of the AEDs of public hospitals, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
 
(1) the respective attendances and staffing establishments of the AEDs of the 18 public hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) in the past three years (set out in a table);
 
(2) the projected and actual population served by the AED of Tuen Mun Hospital;
 
(3) the respective average waiting times for non-urgent patients at the AED of Tuen Mun Hospital in the three years preceding its expansion and since its expansion;
 
(4) the respective average waiting times at the AEDs of Pok Oi Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital under the New Territories West Cluster in the past three years; and
 
(5) whether HA has studied how to shorten the waiting time at the AED of Tuen Mun Hospital?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Michael Tien is as follows:
 
     At present, there are 18 public hospitals under the HA providing Accident and Emergency (A&E) services for the critically ill or seriously injured people and victims of disasters. To ensure that citizens with urgent needs can receive timely services, A&E departments implement a patient triage system under which patients are classified into five categories, namely Critical, Emergency, Urgent, Semi-urgent and Non-urgent based on their clinical conditions, and will receive treatment as prioritised by their urgency category. The HA's service target specifies that Critical patients will receive immediate treatment, and most Emergency (95 per cent) and Urgent (90 per cent) patients will be treated within 15 or 30 minutes respectively.
 
     Tables 1 and 2 below show the number of A&E attendances and manpower deployment of A&E departments in the 18 public hospitals under the HA over the past three years (Note):
 
Table 1: Number of A&E attendances from 2020-21 to 2022-23
 

 
Table 2: Number of A&E doctors calculated on full-time equivalent basis from 2020-21 to 2022-23
 

 
* Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to the total due to rounding
           
     At present, the HA provides services according to clusters, among which the New Territories West Cluster (NTWC) provides public hospital services for residents of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. According to the latest population estimates by the Census and Statistics Department and the Planning Department, the mid-year population of the Tuen Mun and Yuen Long districts in 2022 was 1 167 000.
 
     Hospitals under the NTWC include Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH), Pok Oi Hospital (POH), Castle Peak Hospital, Siu Lam Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH), among which TMH, POH and TSWH provide A&E services for residents. 
 
     Tables 3 to 5 below show the average waiting time of A&E services for each triage category of the NTWC over the past three years (Note).  When comparing the throughput of services provided by the HA across the years, it should be noted that in view of the COVID-19 epidemic situation, the HA adjusted its services in response to the epidemic since early 2020:

Table 3: Average waiting time of A&E services for each triage category of the NTWC in 2020-21 (minutes)
 

 
Table 4: Average waiting time of A&E services for each triage category of the NTWC in 2021-22 (minutes)
 

 
Table 5: Average waiting time of A&E services for each triage category of the NTWC in 2022-23 (minutes)
 

 
     Overall, the average waiting time for Critical, Emergency, Urgent patients in each acute hospital of the NTWC meets the service targets specified by the HA.
 
     To further improve the service quality and waiting time of A&E services, the HA has actively implemented a series of measures including:
 
(1) Strengthening manpower for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and supporting staff, and continuously implementing measures including the Special Honorarium Scheme, leave encashment, etc. to enhance manpower of A&E departments so as to increase service capacity; 

(2) Enhancing support to A&E departments from geriatric departments and setting up observation areas in A&E departments to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions; and 

(3) Centrally publishing the waiting time of A&E departments of public hospitals through multiple platforms, including the HA website, "HA Go" mobile application and A&E registration counters, to strengthen communication with the public and manage public expectations about the waiting time of A&E departments, such that patients with mild illnesses can obtain information on the overall service situation of A&E departments before setting off to A&E departments or registering and hence decide whether to seek medical treatment in A&E departments. 

     The HA will continue to keep a close watch on the needs of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long residents for public healthcare services, and regularly look into the complementation of healthcare resources and manpower with a view to developing various services as necessary. Meanwhile, the Government will continue to encourage citizens to make more use of primary healthcare and family doctor services in the community with a view to relieving the pressure on public A&E services effectively, such that A&E departments can better focus on management of critical cases and emergency service while serving as a safety net for all.
 
Note: This refers to the financial year, i.e. from April 1 to March 31 of the following year.

     Following is a question by the Hon Starry Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
 
Question:
 
     Hong Kong was hard hit by severe rainstorms last month, and the Government had made its first-ever "extreme conditions" announcement. It has been reported that traffic was half paralysed due to severe flooding in widespread locations, such as MTR stations, shopping malls and trunk roads. With the number of storm surges and rainfall records constantly hitting new highs in recent years, some members of the public are worried that extreme weather may become the norm. Regarding enhancing Hong Kong's flood prevention ability, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the plans in place to review and enhance the capacity of stormwater drainage systems in various districts, in order to cope with the risks brought about by extreme weather; whether it will consider streamlining the relevant consultancy study, engineering design and works procedures, so as to expedite the implementation of improvement works for such systems;
 
(2) whether it will give due consideration to the risks brought about by extreme weather in designing and planning the infrastructure facilities of new development areas, including increasing vegetation coverage, constructing higher dams, improving the stormwater drainage systems and enhancing flood prevention ability of buildings, etc;
 
(3) of the plans in place to review the ability of various low-lying areas in coping with extreme weather; whether the Government will accord priority to improving the stormwater drainage systems in such areas;
 
(4) whether it has plans to review the existing design guidelines governing the flood discharge capacity of underground car parks, basements of shopping malls, etc, with a view to reducing flooding at these locations during heavy rainstorms; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) whether it will step up publicity and education to further raise public awareness of flood prevention; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Hong Kong was affected by successive heavy rainstorms in recent months. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal on the evening of September 7. Afterwards, the rain became intense and heavy. The Hong Kong Observatory Headquarters even recorded an hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimetres, which was the highest since records began in 1884. From September to the present (as at October 12), the cumulative rainfall recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory has reached 1 500 mm, accounting for about 60 per cent of the annual average rainfall. Even in face of the abovementioned highly intense rainstorm, the overall drainage capability of Hong Kong's stormwater drainage system had still served its purpose, which allowed the community to resume normal operation within the shortest period of time.
 
     When the Hong Kong Observatory forecasted that there will be heavy rains, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) will deploy inspection teams in advance to locations susceptible to flooding to inspect and clear any clogged stormwater drainage system swiftly. In addition, whenever a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal, or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is issued, the DSD will immediately activate the Emergency Control Centre and deploy additional emergency response teams according to rainfall and flooding conditions in each district to deal with flooding incidents and clear blocked drains and river channels. After a heavy rainstorm, the DSD will also proactively inspect major drains and river channels, remove obstructions such as debris, leaves and garbage, and carry out emergency repairs so as to prepare for the next rainstorm.
 
     The reply to the Hon Starry Lee's question is as follows:
 
(1) and (3) The design of Hong Kong's stormwater drainage system is comparable to advanced international cities such as Singapore, Tokyo and London with the standard of some of the facilities excel those of the said cities. The DSD has all along been making persistent efforts to enhance the drainage capacity of the stormwater drainage facilities. Currently there are 11 on-going stormwater drainage improvement projects, including construction of stormwater drains and underground stormwater storage tanks, and another 18 flood prevention/stormwater drainage improvement projects under planning. In response to the recent flooding incidents, we are reviewing the implementation priorities of the planned stormwater drainage improvement projects with a view to improving the areas with higher flooding risk (such as Eastern District of Hong Kong Island, Wong Tai Sin District and other low-lying areas) as soon as possible. In addition, the DSD will also adopt all feasible methods such as adopting parallel tendering when seeking funding from the Legislative Council to shorten the duration of engineering design, procurement and construction for commencing and completing the improvement works as soon as possible.
 
(2) Climate change is a global problem faced by the world. Hong Kong must also adopt a forward-looking strategy to actively respond to this challenge. In order to strengthen Hong Kong's flood prevention capabilities to cope with climate change, the DSD updated its Stormwater Drainage Manual in August 2022 with reference to the sixth assessment report published by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2021. This updated manual provides the latest data and guidelines, including design requirements for the rainfall increase and sea level rise associated with climate change, for designing and planning of stormwater drainage infrastructures.  
 
     The DSD also actively recommends the adoption of "blue-green infrastructure" design elements, including flood lakes, rain gardens, green roofs and other green facilities, in new development areas so as to reduce the burden of drainage facilities and hence enhance the city's flood resilience.
 
     In order to further cope with the more frequent extreme weather events in recent years, the DSD has made advance arrangements and commenced a "Strategic Planning Study on Flood Management Against Sea Level Rise and Extreme Rainfall" in 2022. The study purpose is to assess the impact of climate change on Hong Kong's stormwater drainage systems till the end of the century and formulate new and comprehensive territory-wide flood management strategies. This study is expected to be completed in 2024.
 
(4) The DSD from time to time will liaise with property management companies in districts and provide technical advice on prevention of flood in facilities such as underground car parks and basements, including optimising their drainage design, and implementing drainage improvement measures such as installing water pumps, flood warning systems, and flood barriers.
 
(5) The DSD has been promoting and educating the public about flood risks and precautionary measures through TV Announcements in the Public Interest, publications, emergency drills and other activities such as opening the DSD's flood prevention facilities for public visits and outreach educational programmes, with a view to enhancing their awareness of flood prevention and emergency preparedness. In addition, the DSD has set up a 24-hour hotline 2300 1110. Members of the public can call the hotline to report flooding cases so that the DSD can handle them as quickly as possible.

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pui-leung and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):

Question:

     There are views pointing out that while paragliding activities have become increasingly popular in Hong Kong in recent years, such activities entail a certain level of risk as improper operation will impact on other users of airspace and the public on the ground, and will even lead to casualties in severe cases. Regarding the regulation of paragliding activities, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that currently only persons offering air service performed by paragliders for hire or reward are required to apply for a permit from the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), and other paraglider users are not required to make the relevant applications, whether the authorities will consider also requiring all paraglider users to apply for a permit; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) given that currently paragliding activities in Hong Kong are usually carried out in eight sites, yet it is learnt that such sites are not under the direct management of the CAD which is responsible for regulating aviation safety, how the authorities will enhance the CAD's regulatory role on paragliding activities in a comprehensive manner from the aspects of law enforcement, inspection, investigation and publicity, etc.; and

(3) whether the authorities will, in collaboration with the two major local paragliding organisations, consider formulating a central registration scheme for local paraglider pilots and paragliding equipment in the future, so as to administer and develop local paragliding activities in a systematic manner, as well as enhance aviation safety; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Paragliding is a sport and recreational activity which involves a certain level of safety risk. In view of its potential impact on the use of airspace, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), as the regulator of Hong Kong's civil aviation affairs, reviewed the relevant regulatory regime in 2018. After consulting local paragliding associations and making reference to the practices in other regions, the CAD published the Safety Guidance on Paragliding Activities to enhance aviation safety. 

     In consultation with bureaux and departments including the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the CAD, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, my reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Pui-leung is as follows:

(1) Hong Kong's civil aviation legislation is designed specifically to regulate civil aircraft, and the provisions therein generally do not apply to the regulation of paragliding activities. However, paraglider is by definition considered as a type of aircraft, and its operation is therefore regulated by the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Cap. 448C) which stipulates that no person shall recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. On the other hand, the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (Cap. 448A) stipulates that anyone who uses aircraft to provide hire or reward services in Hong Kong airspace shall apply to the CAD for a permit before operation. The purpose is to regulate the relevant licensing requirements for operating hire or reward civil aviation services, implementation of air services agreements and financial capabilities of operators, etc. For paragliding activities for hire or reward, the persons providing the relevant activities must also apply to the CAD for a permit.

     The CAD has made reference to the regulatory regimes in regions where paragliding activities are more popular, including Mainland China, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. The regulatory regimes in these regions vary, including the development of a qualification and rating system for paraglider pilots by non-governmental organisations. Therefore, the CAD currently has no plan to expand the scope of the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (Cap. 448A) to cover paragliding activities which are not for hire or reward.

(2) To ensure aviation safety of airspace users, the CAD has listed eight airspace areas which could be used by paraglider pilots in the Hong Kong Aeronautical Information Publication since the 1990s, including the site boundaries, operating altitudes and related guidance for the reference of relevant parties. Paragliding activities may also be associated with the regulatory areas of other government departments. In view of this, the CAD has been proactively liaising with relevant departments to discuss and co-ordinate arrangements for strengthening patrols within the areas under the departments' purview (e.g. country parks and public beaches).

     Furthermore, there are currently two major paragliding organisations in Hong Kong, namely the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association and the International Paragliding Association (hereinafter referred to as Paragliding Organisations), which are responsible for the promotion and development of paragliding activities. The Paragliding Organisations also collaborate with the Government in formulating measures to enhance the safety level of paragliding activities.

     On law enforcement, for any reported paragliding occurrences allegedly involving incompliances, the CAD and the department involved in the occurrences will co-ordinate with the Police in accordance with the established mechanism so as to take appropriate follow-up actions. If the department concerned finds any breach of the relevant legislation, the department may instigate prosecution. 

     On investigation, in order to strengthen the investigation of occurrences, the Paragliding Organisations will conduct investigation on paragliding occurrences involving their members and/or reported to them by third parties in accordance with their operations manuals. Upon completion of investigation, the Paragliding Organisations will provide the CAD with the investigation results, which would facilitate the CAD to record and analyse the occurrences concerned, and to recommend improvement measures. The CAD will also assist the Paragliding Organisations in refining their operations and safety management system manuals, and providing these organisations with recommendations related to aviation safety, including areas such as report of occurrences, risk assessment, and safety promotion.

     On publicity, the CAD has produced a promotional video based on the highlights of the Safety Guidance on Paragliding Activities as well as the permit system, which has been uploaded on the CAD's website for public reference since July last year. At the same time, the CAD has also produced a promotional leaflet for distribution during site inspection, and posted the leaflet inside relevant country parks, with a view to reminding the public and the paragliding community of the importance of aviation safety for paragliding.

(3) In May this year, LCSD has approved the 2023-24 funding to the Hong Kong China Paragliding Association under the Pilot Scheme on Subvention for New Sports, with a view to supporting the association in promoting paragliding, including enhancing the safety awareness of participants and introducing the relevant equipment of paragliding activities.

     At the same time, the Paragliding Organisations will implement the Real-name Registration for Paragliding Activities system starting from October 31 this year, and will be responsible for maintaining and updating the register as well as providing registered pilots with labels containing registration numbers which can be affixed to their paragliding equipment for display. The implementation of the Real-name Registration for Paragliding Activities and the labelling arrangement would facilitate the identification of paraglider pilots during rescue missions, investigations and law enforcement actions, and enable the Government and the Paragliding Organisations to carry out more effective publicity and education campaigns.

     Thank you, President.