Hong Kong’s top Catholic cleric, Bishop Stephen Chow, will visit Beijing in April, the first such visit in nearly 30 years.
Chow’s five-day trip, to start on April 17, follows an invitation last year by the Bishop of Beijing, Joseph Li Shan, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese said in a statement on Thursday.
It cited Chow saying the visit “underscores the mission of the Diocese of Hong Kong to be a bridge….and promote exchanges and interactions between the two sides”.
A Diocese spokesperson on Friday confirmed to Reuters that it will be the first time since 1994 – when Hong Kong was still a British colony – that a Hong Kong bishop has officially visited Beijing.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that China was not aware of Chow’s upcoming visit.