National tour: Secretary for Education Michael Suen (2nd left) and Chief Secretary Henry Tang (centre) launch the Hong Kong-Mainland exchange scheme.

About 2,500 secondary school students and teachers will visit six ancient Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing, Xian and Zhengzhou - in an exchange tour from January 31.

Chief Secretary Henry Tang and Secretary for Education Michael Suen officiated at the programme's launch ceremony today.

Mr Tang said seeing the Mainland's historic sites and magnificent scenery will be a tremendous experience for the students.

The tour is part of the national education exchange programme organised by the Hong Kong Government. The three-year project will see 10,000 teachers and students visit cultural heritage sites and organisations on the Mainland.