A Department of Justice delegation will visit Beijing, Changchun and Harbin March 2 to 8 to discuss issues of mutual interest with Mainalnd authorities.

Led by Director of Public Prosecutions Grenville Cross, the delegation will visit the Supreme People's Prosecution Service, the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The visit is hosted by the Ministry of Justice in Beijing as part of a continuing reciprocal Legal Study Visit Programme between the Department of Justice and the Ministry of Justice on the Mainland

Introduced in 1988, the programme aims to promote and strengthen contact between officials in the Department and their Mainland counterparts.

Mr Cross said visits of this type are of immense value.

"There can be no doubt that the One Country, Two Systems formula is strengthened by first hand contact and dialogue of this type."

The delegation includes Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Arthur Luk and Deputy Solicitor General Stephen Wong.