The Ministry of Culture and Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau signed the Chinese Mainland/ Hong Kong Closer Cultural Partnership Arrangement (CCPA) agreement in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Ding Wei, assistant to the minister of culture, and Patrick Ho, secretary for home affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), signed the agreement.

Under the agreement, the two sides will encourage cultural organizations under the Ministry of Culture and Home Affairs Bureau, non-governmental organizations and individuals to enhance the cultural exchanges and cooperation on the basis of "One Country, Two Systems," in efforts for pushing ahead with the promotion and development of the Chinese culture.

The two sides will hold irregular meetings on further strengthening ties and drafting cultural exchange and cooperation plans according to the requirement of the practical situation.

They will encourage and promote exchanges and cooperation of cultural organizations and artists on literature, drama, music, dance, visual art, art education and some other fields.

The two sides will also promote exchanges and cooperation between cultural protection organizations, museums and libraries.

Both sides will encourage exchanges and cooperation on intellectual protection right, culture and creative industry and international cultural trade.

Cultural exchanges and cooperation of youngsters and cultural academic exchanges and training of the personnel will be encouraged and supported.

The two sides also agree to cooperate and offer help when large-sized cultural activities are held in either the Chinese mainland cities or Hong Kong.

Ding Wei said after the agreement signing ceremony that the CCPA will be a new starting point for strengthening the cultural exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

Ding believed that the agreement would push ahead with cultural exchanges between the two sides to a larger scale and higher level.   

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)