The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, met with the Director of the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), Mr Gao Zhidan, in Beijing today (March 13) to learn about sports development on the Mainland and explore opportunities for exchanges and co-operation.

     Mr Yeung said, "The GASC has always given support to sports development in Hong Kong. Many Hong Kong elite athletes have been given the chance to join Team China for training on the Mainland and improve their competitiveness. Outstanding Mainland athletes and coaches who came to Hong Kong and served in the sports sector have also enhanced the technical skills of Hong Kong athletes. The Mainland and Hong Kong are undertaking more frequent sports exchanges and collaboration in various aspects. We expect to continue to further deepen the arrangement, especially taking the opportunity brought by Hong Kong's participation in co-hosting the National Games in 2025, to facilitate the integration of Hong Kong's sports industries into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area."
      
     The Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Joe Wong; the acting Commissioner for Sports, Mr Paul Cheng; and the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Miss Winnie Chui, also joined this visit to Beijing.
      
     The delegation started the trip upon their arrival in Beijing yesterday (March 12), visiting the National Speed Skating Oval to learn about the state's training of elite athletes. This morning, they visited the Big Air Shougang, and inspected the development and operation of the large sports park. The Big Air Shougang, where freestyle skiing (Big Air) and snowboard (Big Air) were held during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, was later used as a training venue for professional athletes and sports teams as well as a place for extreme sports in summer. The Big Air plaza is also used for cultural and commercial activities.
      
     Mr Yeung and the delegation will continue their visit in Beijing tomorrow (March 14) and return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on the next day (March 15).

Ends/Monday, March 13, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:30

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