Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau left today with an arts delegation to Beijing. They will take part in the National Centre for the Performing Arts' opening events, call on the Ministry of Culture and visit other facilities in the capital.

The Ministry of Culture organised the visit, and has been supportive of Hong Kong's culture and arts development, Mrs Yau said. Several large exhibitions of cultural relics and artifacts were successfully staged in Hong Kong this year with the ministry's assistance.

Pleased to see the launch of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mrs Yau said the National Grand Theatre's completion will provide excellent opportunities for local arts groups to perform in professional venues in Beijing - enhancing cultural exchanges and further development of cultural creative industries.

She hoped there will be continued support from the ministry and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. This would enable collaboration with major Mainland museums to be enhanced, to put in place regular loan arrangements for national treasures to be featured in museum exhibitions in Hong Kong.

The delegation of arts representatives creates a platform for direct communication and collaboration among the parties, she added.

Director of Leisure & Cultural Services Thomas Chow will sign an agreement on arrangements for the 2008 Olympic live sites in Hong Kong with the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad during the visit.