HONG KONG: Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing will visit Taiwan later this week as the honorary leader of a Hong Kong and Macao Buddhist delegation.

The tour, from tomorrow to April 2, will make Tsang the first senior official of the Hong Kong SAR government to visit the island since the 1997 handover of Hong Kong.

Tsang will lead the 100-strong delegation to the city of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, for the opening ceremony of the 2nd World Buddhist Forum on Saturday, before flying to Taipei for the closing ceremony next Wednesday.

"All activities on my agenda are related to the forum. No meetings with Taiwan officials have been scheduled. But I don't rule out the possibilities of contact with Taiwan officials," Tsang said.

"The Hong Kong SAR government has always handled its relations with Taiwan in an active and pragmatic manner. I will certainly not be the only official to visit Taiwan," he said.

Secretary of Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam said he expected more senior government officials to visit Taiwan, provided they have a suitable agenda and in suitable capacities.

"We have been actively promoting exchanges with Taiwan, including the opening of a representative office in Taipei by the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council," he said.

Exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan officials will not only improve cooperation between the two jurisdictions, also will help to enhance cross-Straits relations, Lam added.

Yang Jia Jiunn, the managing director of Taiwan's Chung Hwa Travel Service Hong Kong, said that Tsang's visit is part of a non-governmental exchange.

"We welcome everybody to Taiwan," he said.

Observers believe Tsang's Taiwan trip signals the start of more private visits to the island by Hong Kong officials.

A stream of Taiwan officials has visited Hong Kong since cross-Straits relations warmed up last year, including the President of the Straits Exchange Foundation Chiang Pin-kung, Kuomintang Vice Chairman Wu Den-yih and Taichung Mayor Jason Hu.

Taoyuan County Commissioner Eric Chu is scheduled to arrive in town for an investment promotion.

More than 2,000 delegates from 60 countries and regions are expected at the Buddhism forum, jointly organized by the Buddhist Association of China, the Buddha's Light International Association in Taiwan, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association and the China Religious Culture Communication Association. The theme of the gathering is "Harmonious World, A Synergy of Conditions".

(HK Edition 03/25/2009 page1)