CE meets Director of Palace Museum (with photos)

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, met with the Director of the Palace Museum, Dr Wang Xudong, at Government House at noon today (June 8). The Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Mr Henry Tang, and the Chairman of the Board of Stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Dr Anthony Chow, attended the lunch that followed.
 
     Mrs Lam welcomed Dr Wang's visit to Hong Kong at her invitation shortly after his assumption of office in April to learn more about the city's latest developments in arts and culture, which is a testimony to the importance he attaches to the development of such matters in Hong Kong and his support for them. Mrs Lam thanked the Palace Museum for arranging a number of large-scale exhibitions in Hong Kong in the past and its staunch support for the establishment of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, thus enabling the display of valuable artefacts of the Palace Museum for long periods in Hong Kong. In addition, the Palace Museum, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, has organised the Beijing Palace Museum Conservation Internship Programme each summer since 2017. The programme, which helps broaden participants' horizons and enrich their knowledge of heritage conservation and appreciation, has been well received by young people in Hong Kong. Mrs Lam expressed the hope of exploring further collaboration with the Palace Museum to enhance Hong Kong people's understanding of Chinese arts and culture.

     After the meeting, Mrs Lam witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Dr Leung Siu-fai, and Dr Wang, under which pieces of timber seized and confiscated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department during anti-smuggling enforcement operations will be donated to the Palace Museum for the repair and restoration of cultural relics and historic buildings.